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Winter weather, as Zea had recently found out, had a habit of arriving unpredictably in Nevarra. For all of the historical records and magic that the city had to track its own weather, the snow storm that beset the city seemed to have caught everyone off guard. And of course it had to hit not only as Wintersend was right around the corner, but also as Zea and Emmrich were planning a small get together back at the Lighthouse.
It had started innocently enough; a slight chill in the air and the occasional group of flurries not quite wet enough to stick. The Minanter, while the water was freezing cold, still flowed easily through the city. Neither her nor Emmrich had paid it any second thought as they went about their respective days. There was far too much going on to be worried about the weather. Gifts and ingredients to buy, food to prepare, and bags to pack with everything they needed. Emmrich in turn had extra goings on in his own mind, focused on the end of the term before the Necropolis broke for the winter season and the students were already a handful as the holiday drew near.
She should have known that the world would throw one last jab at the one everyone had called Rook for months. They both awoke one morning to the wind howling outside their window and a peak outside only saw white conditions and snow drifts quickly building up. It came as no surprise when Myrna sent word via wisp of classes being cancelled for the rest of the week, possibly to the end of the term. Emmrich, ever the worrier, went around the house, double and triple checking all the shutters and doors, Manfred trailing along behind and repeating his actions at every opportunity. Zea did as best she could to not feel the disappointment of their trip being postponed.
"I'm so sorry my darling," Emmrich tried to comfort, resting his hand on her shoulder and working his thumb along one of her many knots. "With luck, the storm shall pass quickly and we'll only be slightly delayed."
In coming years, it would be a running joke that he had jinxed the whole city with those words.
That first day had been rather unextraordinary. They simply took stock of what they had, cooked meals just as they always had, and more than once had to stop Manfred from being overwhelmed by his nature as Curiosity and wandering out into the middle of the storm. The second day was much of the same, though Zea often flitted between their room and the sitting room, keeping the fires stoked (even if Emmrich kept reminding her there was no need to do so).
By midday of the third day of the storm and no signs of it letting up, it was safe to say that they were both on the brink of insanity from going stir crazy. The house suddenly felt far too small and Zea was left pacing, years of action in the Wardens and the war against the Evanuris made her antsy and needing something to do. In every one of her many laps, she passed Emmrich's study. The entire day, she had watched him alter between restlessly reading through students' essays or reorganizing all of his shelves for the umpteenth time, Johanna grumbling under her breath all the while.
He stepped out briefly, stretching his back out…and stopped when he saw Zea pulling on her coat.
"Where on earth do you think you're going?" he asked, already on edge. She huffed as she fastened the buttons.
"Backyard. We need more wood." She reached for her gloves only for him to snatch them out of her hand.
"Absolutely not! You are not setting a foot outside in this weather. We have plenty here for at least the next couple of days." She made an attempt to snatch them back but he held them just out of reach.
"Emmrich! I'm not made of glass. I'll be fine, now give me my gloves." He leveled his gaze with hers. "What the hell? I'm not traveling across the continent."
"I'm sorry, but it is out of the question. I will not permit you to put yourself in harms way."
"In harms way?!" she all but shrieked. "I'm chopping wood not ten feet from the door. What else do you expect me to do, sit here and knit?!"
"If it means keeping you safe and warm, then yes." No sooner had the words left his mouth than he regretted them. Hurt and frustration crossed her face as she nearly ripped the buttons off of her coat taking it off and all but threw it at him.
She could feel his eyes following her as she stomped back up the stairs and slammed the door to their room shut. Her boots were flung as she pulled them off, bouncing off of the wall, before she turned to grab a pillow off of the bed and screamed into it, the sound being hidden by the howling wind.
She wasn't sure how much time had truly passed, hours possibly, before she heard a hesitant knock on the door. While she was still fuming, most of the earlier anger had diminished to a simmer and she gave the affirmative to enter. Emmrich stepped inside, shutting the door behind him and slowly approached her, joining her in sitting by the window. Neither spoke for the longest time.
"I'm sorry," she whispered into the quiet. "I didn't mean to snap. I just…" His hand covered hers in a heartbeat.
"I know," he whispered back. "I'm sorry as well. I know you don't like feeling cooped up like this. It wasn't fair of me to speak to you in such a way. I only wish to keep you safe." She interlocked their fingers as she finally lifted her head.
"We were supposed to head to the Lighthouse today. I was going to help Manfred decorate the library." His eyes softened as he drew her into his arms. Zea took a deeper breath, inhaling his scent; he always smelled of books and myrrh. His hand threaded into her hair, tracing his nails ever so gently along her scalp.
"I realized the same thing after you came up here," he said after a long moment. She hummed as he ran his fingers through her thick curls. "It won't be the same, but, if you will allow me, I may have a way to resolve this." Her head lifted to meet his eyes as he glanced down at her, his own warm with love.
"How?" she asked. "We're not exactly in the best travel situation right now." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, followed by one to the tip of her nose.
"Ten minutes darling. That's all I ask so that I can show you." She pondered for a brief moment before nodding. A smile, a kiss, then he left the room. Those next ten minutes she spent resting her head back against the window frame, eyes closed and listening to the wind outside. It had tapered off throughout the past few hours, but still rattled the shutters when it blew against them.
Another knock snapped her out of her drifting thoughts . She stretched her arms over her head, feeling her spine pop from the slightly hunched position she had been in for however long. On the other side, once she opened it, was a very impatient skeleton. Manfred had on his Wintersend regalia that he had made himself as he bounced from foot to foot, emeralds almost glowing.
"Rook!" he hissed excitedly. "Come! Show you!" He all but dragged Zea out of the room to the top of the stairs and she couldn't help but laugh along with his infectious energy. From the top of the stairs, she could see the front room lit with a gentle glow and the rustling of movement as she assumed Emmrich bustled about with whatever he was planning. Manfred continued to pull her along and down the steps, boots clomping against the wood.
Crossing the threshold, she stopped and felt her heart clench with love. Somehow, in the short amount of time it had been, both of her boys had managed to transform the room entirely. Holly and fir boughs now graced the mantle, candles spotted here and there along the length. Various wreaths hung along the walls with all of the gifts wrapped and stowed away neatly in a corner. All the while, the fireplace crackled with the wood and every so often…the popping of chestnuts as they roasted in a pan set just inside.
"Surprise!" Manfred cheered, throwing his bony arms up over his head. Zea's hand moved on its own, covering her mouth as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Emmrich stood next to the hearth, shaking his head and chuckling at his ward, a small blissful smile quirking his lips upward. He crossed the room in a few strides, gathering her into his arms and framing her face with his hands.
"Happy Wintersend, dearest Zea," he whispered, capturing her lips in a soft but no less passionate kiss. "I know it isn't entirely how you wanted it to be but-"
"It's perfect," she interrupted. "I mean, yeah it isn't the Lighthouse and the others aren't here, but this-" She gestured around the room. "This is more than anything that I could ever remember or imagine." She broke from his embrace and brought Manfred into her own, a satisfied hiss escaping him as he nuzzled his mandible against her shoulder. She felt Emmrich come up from behind her as he wrapped his arms around them both, the small family huddled together against the cold and storm.
Outside, the winds died down and the snow softened the world into a night and holiday of peace and quiet.