AN: Day 9! Only three more to go. It's been a lot of fun working on this story and tweaking different Solstice traditions. I had to refresh myself on the different Divines and what they stand for and relied a bit on "The Ten Commands of the Nine Divines" (a book from Oblivion). Enjoy!

The cluster of shrines lined around the evergreen tree was a surprise and Kirstte studied them for a long time as she waited for Farkas to come upstairs and explain the next tradition of Jól to her. Most of the other Companions had already come and finished their first meal, but he and Vilkas had not yet bothered to show.

After an hour she huffed in frustration and marched downstairs. She neared their rooms, pausing when she heard voices from Farkas's room.

"-don't know why you're doing dragging your feet about this. Just tell her and get on with it!" That was Vilkas, sounding growly and put out.

Farkas snorted. "Fairly certain she's figured it out without me having to spell it out for her," he shot back.

"Obviously not since she kissed me last night." Kirstte knew she should knock, but she had never heard them argue before. She frowned, she did not know that Lydia had kissed Vilkas.

"Yeah? Well she was in here doing a lot more than kissing after that." Farkas sounded smug and Kirstte felt her face flame as she realized what he was implying.

Vilkas made a strange choking noise and Kirstte took the moment to knock on the door. It wrenched open and she realized Vilkas had been standing right next to it. His eyes widened when he saw her and then slammed shut. He inhaled deeply and she could see him trying to collect himself, his tension practically a physical entity.

"Vilkas?" she hedged. His eyes shot open and his nostrils flared.

"Kirstte's here for you, Farkas." He pushed past her and into his own room, slamming the door. She heard the lock click and frowned.

"Don't take it personally." Farkas placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm not sure what's crawled up his arse and died, but he'll get over it eventually, he always does. You just have to give him time." She nodded, still looking at the closed door with concern. "It doesn't help the moon's almost full. He's always more cranky then." She nodded again and he patted her back. "C'mon, we'll talk about today's tradition."

He led her upstairs, dragging her over to the tree and the shrines. "Today we make offerings to the Divines, by leaving small tokens or presents for them, and ask them for a gift."

"That's it?" she asked. He nodded, reaching out to straighten one of the shrines. "What kind of tokens should I leave?"

He sat down and crossed his legs, patting the space next to him. Kirstte settled on the floor, folding her legs in front of her and curling her arms around them. "It really depends on what kind of gift you want to ask for and which Divine you're asking." He looked around the hall, besides them Tilma was the only one there, and she was cleaning up from the morning's meal. He reached into a pouch and pulled out an item wrapped in cloth. He carefully unfolded it and she was surprised to see two preserved lavender blossoms. "I had Arcadia help me with these last summer," he explained. "I'm going to offer one to Mara and one to Dibella and ask their blessings for Lydia and I."

She grinned, resting her chin on her legs. "You were thinking about Lydia that long ago?"

He fiddled with the piece of cloth, careful to not damage the lavender. "Yeah." She was amused at the blush that rose across his cheeks. "Sometimes when you were doing Dragonborn stuff, she'd be waiting down in the square and we would talk." He was folding and unfolding the cloth now. "She's a really strong warrior, and she never treated me like an ice brain."

She reached for his hand, grabbing it gently. "Good, because you're not an ice brain. I know they all tease you, but you were smart enough to figure out she felt the same way about you and do something about it." Farkas's eyes were drawn away from her and she looked over her shoulder to watch Vilkas as he stormed across the hall and to the door. He paused and stared in their direction for several moments before he left. "Unlike some people," she muttered.

Farkas sighed. "He can be a stubborn arse sometimes."

"Sometimes?" She arched a brow at him and he laughed.

"Okay, most times," he amended. "Now go, figure out what you want to offer and ask for."

Kirstte considered going downstairs, but several of the whelps were lounging there and she knew she would think better if she was on her own. She dressed in her warmest gear and stepped outside, inhaling sharply at the bite of cold. It was overcast, and snowflakes were lazily drifting down to add to the piles already heaped around the city. She meandered down the steps to the Gildergreen and after a few moments of considering, she headed up towards Dragonsreach. Jorrvaskr's decorations were beautiful, she suspected the castle would be breathtaking.

She inhaled deeply when she stepped inside, enjoying the mix of pine and cinnamon that met her nose. She was correct, the great hall was resplendent and the tree tucked in the corner was enormous. She strolled towards it, smiling when she counted nine shrines underneath it. "Dragonborn!" the Jarl sounded surprised. "What brings you here?" he asked, coming over from where he had been talking with Proventus.

"I wanted to see the decorations," she nodded towards the tree. "Jorrvaskr is beautiful, but Dragonsreach... It takes the breath away." He stood next to her, gaze sweeping over the great hall.

"It really does," he agreed. "I never take enough time to appreciate it." She joined him in looking at everything and laughed when she spotted the wreaths hung jauntily on the dragon skull. He followed her gaze and chuckled. "Frothar's idea."

"I quite like it," she grinned. "How have the Jól celebrations been up here?"

He offered her his arm and she took it, allowing him to lead her up to the tables that were laden with treats, including sugared pears. She took one happily. "It's been wonderful," he answered. "Better than most years I can recall. I think the citizens needed this, after everything that's happened in the last year. Even with the war looming, it is good to celebrate the season." He stared up at the dragon skull. "How are you enjoying Jól this year?"

"It's amazing!" She slipped her arm out of his and sat on one of the benches, leaning back to rest her elbows on the table. "This is my first Jól and Farkas has taken it upon himself to make sure I experience every tradition."

He frowned and sat next to her. "You were in Skyrim last year at this time. How is this your first Jól?"

She grinned. "A year ago I was ensconced in High Hrothgar learning to control my Thu'um. I was up there for nearly two months, remember?"

He nodded, understanding crossing his features. "I do. And yes, the Greybeards don't celebrate much of anything, let alone holidays like these."

"I don't know about that. I remember them making sacrifices to Kynareth, but I was so focused on my studies I didn't pay much attention." She leaned forward and rubbed her hands together, remembering those frustrating days when she was first trying to master her abilities. She shook her head. "If missing Jól is what it took for me to deal with the dragons, it was a small price to pay."

He hummed in agreement. "And now you get to celebrate it here."

She nodded. "I do and I doubt any other city could come close to celebrating like Whiterun does." She grinned, "I may be a bit biased though."

He laughed. "Well, I've been to other cities and seen their celebrations and I know nobody comes close to celebrating like Whiterun," he declared.

"Oh, and you're not biased at all?" she teased.

He looked offended. "What? Of course not!" She burst out laughing and soon his voice joined hers. "Maybe a little biased,'" he admitted when they both had calmed down. "Do you know what you are going to offer to the Divines? And what you'll ask for?"

She frowned and studied her hands where they were folded in her lap. "No. I know what I want, but if I ask for it and receive it, I'll wonder the whole time about it." She sighed.

"You can always ask for something for somebody else. It's what I do." She blinked in surprise and he shrugged. "I always leave an offering for Stendarr, Talos, and Akatosh and ask them to protect the people of my hold, to keep them safe and healthy in the coming year."

"That's a good idea," she murmured, her mind going back to the oaths she had made. "Thank you. And now I need to figure out what to leave as an offering."

"The Khajiit are still set up inside the gate." He motioned with his hand. "I would guess they have something appropriate."

"Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf. Happy Jól!"

"Happy Jól, Dragonborn."

It had taken her a lot of time to find what she thought were the appropriate offerings for the Divines she had chosen. She slipped into Jorrvaskr and over to the tree, kneeling down in front of it. Athis and Njada were across the room arm wrestling and Brill was seated on one of the benches, a book open in his lap. She reached into her pouch and pulled out a small carved flower inlaid with rubies and emeralds. Ri'saad had assured her that the rubies held the meaning she was going for and that flowers were often a gift to Dibella. She let out a gentle sigh and then placed it next to Farkas's lavender, closing her eyes and making her request.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand landed on her shoulder. She looked up to find Vilkas standing over her. "By all the Divines, Vilkas, don't sneak up on somebody like that. You nearly scared me to death." She stood and smiled at him, choosing to ignore the dark look on his face. "Coming to make your offering?"

He gazed down at the shrines, and she knew he was staring at what she had just left. "I don't think I'll make one this year." His voice was rough.

"Nothing to wish for?" she tried to keep her voice light, but her heart clenched a little.

His eyes rose to her face, something blazing inside them. "Nothing I can have." She pursed her lips together to keep a rude comment from spilling out of them.

"Are you so sure about that?" she snapped. "Maybe you can have it but you're too stubborn to realize."

He looked away from her and shook his head. "No, I can't."

She growled in frustration and pushed him back, storming her way down to Farkas's room. She pounded on the door and was unsurprised to find Lydia inside with him. "Kirstte?" Farkas rose from the stool he was on, concern written all over his face.

"I give up!" she declared, stomping in and closing the door. "Short of stripping naked and laying in his bed waiting for him, I'm not sure what else I can do. Are you sure he feels the same way?"

"As sure as I am of my feelings for Lydia," Farkas answered. "Maybe you should try the naked bed thing. He'd probably like it."

"Bah, he'd probably ask me if I was ill, wrap me up in a blanket, and call a priest of Kynareth to come heal me," she groused. "He said he can't have what he wants. Why does he think he can't have me?"

Farkas snorted, "I gave up trying to figure out why he thinks like he does years ago. C'mon, I may not be able to get him to pull his head from his arse, but I can help you get sloshed enough to forget about it for a little while."

"Sounds great."

Several hours and too much mead later, Lydia deposited Kirstte in her bed and tucked her in. Kirstte snuggled down into her blankets, her mind going back to the offering she made. She sent another prayer up to Dibella and then passed out.