Story: Winter

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A story by Holbenilord.

Chapter 1

It was one of those mornings when the sky was white with gentle clouds, the wind blew softly between the houses, and the ground was dusted with a thin layer of powdered snow. It was cold, but not unpleasantly so, and as the sun emerged from the long night it seemed glad to look down upon this new world of blank and frozen pavement. Nothing moved except the bare branches of the trees that lined the avenue, waiting patiently for the sun but not wholly averse to the beauty of first snow.

Eryen savoured the crunch under his boots as he walked bipedally along the empty road, holding his jacket tight to his body. Every step made his smile slightly wider, and he held his head up high. Looking at the houses to either side of him, he wondered whether their occupants were waking up or still asleep, and considered happily their reactions upon seeing the world outside. Kaedel’s Hope had little snow, but when it did, the serene beauty was worth waiting all those years.

Today was a wonderful day. Today, his life was going to change forever, and there could be no better backdrop. He was going to ask Irya to marry him.

He fingered the engagement ring tenderly, rotating it slowly with his fingers. Lutrians weren’t supposed to wear rings- their paw-webbing got in the way- but it was such a sweet custom. Little diamonds were embedded in the silver, and sparkled in the light. He closed his fist and hurried on, eager to reach the MRT station. The sound of shunting trains, softened into a mild echo, invited him onwards, and he thought through the stops. It would only be twenty minutes.

He saw two Zyrothan children on the steps before their front door, shaping the snow into a mound. They waved to him and he waved back, happy to be alive. They returned their attention to their architecture, heaping more and more of the fine powder on as it trickled down the sloping walls of their imagined tower. Who knew what these cubs would do with their lives? They could be the next presidents, the next master engineers, the next leading researchers of Kaedel’s Hope. There was a spark of promise in every being.

Eryen stood before the station doors and watched fascinatedly as they opened. He had seen in a thousand times before, but today the simple, automatic action took on new meaning. This was a whole new life, a whole new chapter in his story. The doors were open, welcoming, and all he had to do was to be brave enough to step inside and take it.

And he was brave enough. With a bound, he entered the building, letting his coat hang loosely around himself as he warmed up. Standing alone on the platform, he looked at his smiling reflection in the glass and laughed happily, feeling his fingers and toes tingle with delight. The whole world was perfect, as far as he cared. There was no reason for anxiety, for worry, for hatred- the universe was beautiful and vast enough for everyone to have the best life they could ever have. And he meant to help the world with this, because it deserved to live!

As the train approached, empty but still bright and purposeful, it slowed to a stop and the doors opened. He stepped in and admired its clean, white beauty, taking a seat and leaning back onto the blue plastic. The doors closed again with a quiet, thoughtful hiss, and he was on his way to the future. The handholds on the coach’s central bar jiggled clumsily as they accelerated forwards, then calmed again to stillness. The advertising screens around the compartment roof were all black and empty.

The train re-emerged above ground, and Eryen looked out over the slumbering, silent city. Every rooftop was white and each street was an unused canvas, waiting to be sculpted and reformed, virgin snow begging to be adorned with footprints, snowmen and anything that could be formed from its body.

Now there was a deceleration, a gentle bump which was felt throughout the train, making the handholds rattle in surprise. The doors opened up, allowing the Lutrian to step off and continue upon his mission. Getting out, he stood straight and still until the tracks were empty once again, and the click-clack of wheels on the metal was almost inaudible. Then, he strolled back out into the streets, crossing the road and leaving a set of curving prints behind him.

This was the house- number 23. Climbing up the steps, and then taking a deep breath, he fought the nervousness and smiled giddily. He raised his paw and knocked three times on the door, ignoring the bell beside him. He was the only one who knocked, after all.

He waited for a short time, taking in the world around him and preparing himself. This was not the time to escape- he was committed now. He would propose, and he would do it as soon as he saw her. He couldn't wait to-

The door opened, and her brother Tern was there. “Eryen! Good to see you!”

They hugged enthusiastically, slapping each other on the back, and then separated. “And great to see you.” He peered into the house. “Is Irya in?”

A look of understanding passed across Tern’s face. “Come in, come in!” He put an arm around Eryen’s shoulder and led him in, then pulled out a mat for his boots. Eryen kicked them off and then put them down, also hanging his coat on a hook.

He looked up the stairs and smiled, because there she was, coming down the stairs. “Eryen!” She hurried down, and grabbed him in a close hug. They stayed together for a few seconds, eyes closed, and then Eryen steeled himself.

“Irya. I love you. Will you marry me?”