A/N: If I mess up this chapter, please don't blame me – my mind is still full of the book I just read.

- Chapter 9 -

Breathe, buzz, hint, spell

Sigh, speak, say, tell

Winter was gradually ending. Peder could feel it in his bones. He looked out his house's window where he saw snow gently falling to the ground. But in a few weeks, the snow would stop. He smiled.

Once the snow stopped – once spring came – the village would hold the spring holiday. Peder remembered the last spring holiday clearly.

Peder watched as Frid hurled another stone and turned in the other direction where Miri was dancing with another boy. Something surged in his throat; why would he feel bitter towards his friend Almond? He shook his head, trying to dispel the emotion he felt.

"Hi, Peder," a smiling Bena said as she walked past him. Peder smiled briefly at her and watched as Miri twirled her ribbon with Almond.

Night was already falling; the story shouts were starting in another corner of the clearing strewn with bonfires. Liana was telling a story of a princess as Miri joined Peder. "Fascinating, isn't it?" she said, picking at her chain of miri flowers.

Peder nodded, looking at the shadows of the fire. "It's nice to just hang out for a while, not having to do quarry work or anything like that. Just hang out."

They spent the rest of the night together, saying nothing and staring off into the fire.

Peder stared out into the snow again – these days, all he seemed to do was daydream. He could just imagine the honeyed nuts and salted rabbit. Roasted apples and honey tea danced at the edges of his mind. He could barely make out the green tinge of grass in the snow right now.

"The girls are coming home soon," he whispered.

A/N: I know, this chapter sucked. Sorry. My brain's dead. I have writer's block at the moment. Wait for me to bonk it out for a sec.