Feast of the Winter Star
Sariel was buried in the blankets of her large bed. The heavy cerulean blue comforter stood out beautifully in the soft grey and blue tones of the room. She'd taken Elliott's advice to heart and had decided to spend some money redecorating the house. The wind was gently blowing outside as a light flurry of snow fell onto the valley.
She groaned and whimpered when she realized she was awake. She swore she heard knocking on the door and buried her head under a pillow hoping to drown it out. The peaceful, serene silence was again interrupted by a knock on the door.
She crawled out of bed and threw open her closet. She pulled a heavy sweater from a hanger and slipped it over her camisole top. The thin pants she wore did little to add to her body heat, but they were exceptionally comfortable.
The knocking sound echoed through the house yet again and Sariel groaned. Her hair was a complete mess and she was barely awake. She padded her way to the front door and opened it, revealing Elliott on the other side.
"Ellie! Oh my god, I'm sorry! Get in here!" Sariel blinked wide-eyed as she exclaimed.
"Good morning, Rinn. The cold doesn't bother me." Elliott stated.
"Shh, less talking, more getting inside where it's warm!" Sariel growled.
She stepped out of the way and opened the door fully. Elliott shook a few snowflakes from his coat and hair before he entered her house. He shed his trench coat and hung it on the coat rack near the door.
Sariel shoved the door shut and turned towards her boyfriend. His nose and cheeks were slightly pink from the chill in the air. She smiled brightly at him and quickly ran to her bathroom. She hurriedly brushed her teeth and tamed her dark red tresses into a simple ponytail.
She pulled the sweater off and sat on the edge of her bed. She tugged on a pair of socks and slid on her tennis shoes. She ran outside and hefted a few logs into her arms and dashed back inside. She tossed the logs on the dwindling fire and smiled when the warmth intensified. She moved to the kitchen and washed her hands.
"Good morning, Ellie." Sariel stated as she dried her hands.
Elliott stepped behind her and looped his arms around her slender waist. He kissed the back of her head and turned her gently in his arms. He tipped her head towards his and kissed her softly. He broke the kiss and nuzzled her nose with his.
"Happy Winter Star, darling." Elliott purred in her ear.
"Aww, Happy Winter Star, honey." Sariel stated lovingly.
"This year has been interesting, to say the least. Are you still happy here in the valley?" Elliott asked somberly.
"Of course, Ellie. Why wouldn't I be? The farm's doing great, I own my own home, some of my closest friends live just a few minutes away, but, I have the best thing about the valley. No one else has it, I feel very special." Sariel stated happily.
"Oh? What's that, love?" Elliott asked softly.
"You. You're one of the best people I have ever met. I love you." Sariel purred.
"I love you too, darling." Elliott replied.
Sariel kissed his nose and moved to the coffee pot on the counter. She idly set about making coffee and pulled a few of Lilly's signature Gingerbread Muffins from the freezer. She sat the delicious pastries on a baking tray and slid them into the oven.
She crossed to the living room and curled up on one of the chocolate brown sofas before the television. She palmed the remote and turned on the weather report. She smiled gleefully when the report stated it would be snowing most of today, all day tomorrow, and part of the day Wednesday.
She unwound herself from the couch and made her way into her bedroom. She shucked off all her clothing and pulled a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a heather gray short-sleeve sweater dress from the closet. She quickly slipped on a matching set of underwear and dressed in the warm clothes.
She perched on the edge of the bed and pulled on a pair of dark brown leather boots. The knee-high boots complemented her outfit and afforded her extra protection in the snow. She pulled her beloved Lotus flower necklace from below the dress and laid it over her heart. She crossed the room to her jewelry box and put on the pair of matching earrings and bracelet.
The warm pleasing aroma of ginger filled the air in the house. Sariel dashed to the kitchen and pulled the freshly warmed muffins from the oven. She gently transferred them to a plate and pulled fresh butter from the fridge. She moved everything to the dining table and smiled when Elliott brought over the coffee pot and cups.
She curled her legs under her as she sat in a chair and handed one of the muffins to Elliott as he sat next to her. The large white dining table and matching chairs had set Sariel back a decent amount of money, but she loved being able to have enough space to invite people over for meals. She, Leon, Chris, Leah, Elliott, and Willy would frequently get together to play Poker and they were all grateful Sariel had the space for them.
"I have to admit, you were correct in your statement that Lilly's food is the best in the world." Elliott stated between mouthfuls of muffin.
"I know, right?" Sariel replied happily.
The happy couple quickly finished their meal. Sariel stood and pulled out two travel mugs she had and quickly filled them with hot coffee. She handed one of the mugs to Elliott and she took the other for herself. She moved to the coat rack and pulled her trusty leather jacket on and slipped the leather gloves in the pockets on her hands.
Elliott followed her and pulled his trench coat back on. He pressed a kiss to Sariel's cheek and stroked her face lovingly. He smiled when the clock chimed nine times, signaling it was now nine, and the Feast of the Winter Star celebration had started.
He smiled when Sariel darted into her bedroom and pulled a small wrapped present from her closet. The happy couple departed the farmhouse and made their way towards the town square. As they entered town, Sariel smiled when she saw Thor and Phoenix, Chris and Leon's horses tied in a shady knoll.
She and Elliott made their way through their groups of friends, happily greeting them all and giving their blessings for a fruitful new year. She smiled when Elliott laughed as she palmed some of Gus' candy canes. By ten Sariel had given her secret gift to Penny. A new set of school books and teaching tools. Maru surprised Sariel with a new porcelain tea set.
Elliott pulled her close to him as the snowfall intensified. He cradled her in his arms and nuzzled her nose with his. He stroked her left cheek with his right hand and stared deeply into her eyes.
"You don't have to get me anything for Winter Star, my love. You've already given me the greatest gift of all." Elliott whispered.
"Oh? What gift is that, Elliott?" Sariel whispered back.
"Your love, my darling. I do have a gift for you though." Elliott admitted.
"Oh?" Sariel asked.
"I wrote a whole secret book of poems expressing my love for you. When I behold thy wondrous face, a precious jewel of form and grace, my heart...torn by the dread of night, is purified with golden light. Poetry is the only way I can begin to describe my feelings for you. I love you, Sariel." Elliott whispered.
"Elliott, that's the most romantic thing ever! Well, that and you dedicated Blue Tower to me." Sariel smirked happily.
"I'm very proud of everything you've accomplished, love. The farm is doing great, you seem genuinely happy, and our relationship is strong. If I don't say it enough, I do love you, very much." Elliott admitted.
"I love you too, Elliott. I'm really proud of you too. You proved everyone back home wrong. Blue Tower's been doing great. But most of all, I'm glad I have you in my life. If I had to go through a thousand lifetimes, I'm positive I'd always find my way home to you." Sariel lovingly stated.
