Winter Legends

The crisp morning air swirled through the quaint cottage, picking up the sweet aroma of chocolate and pancakes; not a single inch of this humble abode was safe from the delightful scent. The orange sun wearily peaked over the mountaintops to the east, grudgingly starting its daily journey across the sky.

A groan filled the once silent air as the Goddess flipped to her stomach, her arm stretching across the empty side of the bed. I flipped the last pancake onto my plate before drowning the stack in fresh maple syrup brought to me by the faithful wind. A stool slid across the floor to sit just behind me; I sat down without a second glance back.

“Good morning, sleepy head.”

Skaði lifted her head and the nest on top. “What in Jörð’s name are you cooking in there?” She threw her head back into her pile of pillows.

I slid my fork straight through the fluffy creation and loaded my fork with the sugary, sticky mess. “Pancakes.” I chowed down on the chocolate filled delight enjoying how it melted in my mouth.

Skaði rolled clumsily out of bed running her hands through her hair as if that could tame the beast. She slipped on a flimsy robe and made her way to the kitchen island. The stool, across from where I sat, screeched its disapproval as she manhandled it. She plopped down, propping her elbows on the countertop; her head lazily rested in the palms of her hands.

Her eyes landed on the steaming mug beside my plate. "Tell me that's coffee."

I lifted the mug to my lips, a devilish grin overpowering my will. "You clearly don't know me well enough."

Skaði huffed. "Why you insist on powering yourself with sugar is beyond me?" Her steely eyes fluttered closed.

I placed my mug down and cut myself another piece of delicious pancakes. "This meal is a Frost family tradition. You happened to luck into joining me."

"Yaaay..." She opened her eyes enough for me to watch her roll them.

I stifled a chuckle as I quietly slid a plate and mug across the island from its hiding place. I changed the direction of the airflow within the room so she could finally get a whiff of what I had made just for her.

Her eyes shot open quickly as she pushed herself up. Her back straightened as she gazed down at the full plate in front of her. An omelet filled to capacity with vegetables and cheese sat beside a stack of bacon and toast. A steamy mug of freshly brewed black coffee sat off tot he side to finish off the ensemble.

I shoveled another forkful of pancakes into my mouth. "You deserve a more balanced meal."

"You little trickster." Skaði dug in without another second of hesitation, going straight for the coffee and then the food. She ravaged her plate as I continued to leisurely enjoy my pancakes and hot chocolate. Not a single crumb survived on her plate when her fork was finally put down on the counter.

Skaði grabbed her coffee and sunk back down into her stool. "Thank you for breakfast." I gave her a little nod. She took a long sip of her coffee. I watched as her shoulders fell into a more relaxed position and a smile danced across her lips. "How'd you sleep?"

I smiled. "I didn't."

Skaði's eyebrows rose and her eyes grew wide. "Did the wolves keep you awake? They can be a bit rambunctious."

I shook my head. "No. They tried their best to lull me to sleep. I just can't be done on the first snow of winter."

Skaði relaxed. She looked down at her mug as she clutched it tightly in her hands. I watched as her lips twitched and the gears turned in her mind. I was curious to see what gave this rugged Goddess pause. "Sorry I fell asleep on you last night."

I placed my fork down on my plate and reached for my hot chocolate. I took a quick sip, letting Skaði's apology hand in the air. "You're not the first, although that was the first time in that position."

Skaði picked her head up, holding her chin up high as she made direct eye contact. The first time her steel gray eyes were turned on me full force had caught me off-guard, to say the least. There was no pupil or iris among that steel gray. It took a while to meet the Goddess' unrelenting, eerie gaze without flinching.

"Please don't take offense. I spent most of the day yesterday training-" I raised my hand to cut her off. She bit down on her bottom lip, silencing the rest of her words.

"You don't need to apologize. You were clearly quite relaxed." I smirked at my handiwork. I picked up my fork and dug into my pancakes once again. "You can just make it up to me next time."

Skaði placed her mug down on the counter with a loud clang. "Why don't I make it up to you now?" she huskily whispered.

I swallowed hard against the pancakes, now a lump in my throat. "I'd love that, but I'm otherwise occupied for the morning."

Skaði pushed her dishes across the counter out of the way before doing the same to my own. There was nothing between us now, nothing to stop her next move. "I can't change your mind..." She leaned over the counter, sucking her bottom lip in between her teeth.

My eyes wandered down to her open robe. Her chest was clearly on display, resting on the cool granite begging for my full attention. It took all of my will power to drag my eyes away. She knew exactly what she was doing. Skaði was a calculated and masterful strategist after all - a trickster in the simplest of terms. This morning, she was playing dirty.

I lifted myself up out of the stool, balancing on the cool winter wind flowing in from the open window. I glided over the counter on my stomach; Skaði pusher her stool back to accommodate me. I stopped at the edge of the counter - my face a few inches from her chest. The heady scent of clove assaulted my nose immediately.

My finger lazily traced across the divot of her collarbone, leaving a trail of frost in its wake. I continued to trace down her sternum, right between her breasts, making sure the frost pattern only grazed the beginning of them. "The plans I had for you last night..." I let my words trail off as my eyes locked on hers; I felt her breath catch.

I placed my feet on the floor, completely removing myself from her vicinity. "Next time."

Skaði puller her robe closed, wrapping it tightly around her muscular and toned body. Little was left to the imagination with the positioning of that garment. Granted, little was covered when it hung loose around her. "And where are you going? If I may ask."

I summoned my staff to my side. "Only those who've eaten the sacred pancakes and drank the sacred hot chocolate may know." The Goddess opened her mouth to object as I slammed my staff against the floor, transporting myself to my morning plans.

The crisp white snow, fallen during the night, remained undisturbed around the ancient tree that had grown old since my first visit long ago. There was a light breeze traveling down the white-capped mountains, bringing an extra chill into the air here and certainly to the small village and meadow below.

I kept a buffer of air between my footsteps and the freshly fallen snow, wanting my presence to remain hidden from any who may stumble onto this long forgotten wander, as I approached the ancient tree. The wind, at my command, scattered the snow lying on top of the ancient roots to the wind and down to the meadow below. I could hear the screeching and laughing of the eager children who beat me to the winter wonderland this year. Large snow forts were under construction on both sides of the field while a smaller group of children was rolling snow for a snowman off to the side.

I leaned back into the trunk of the tree, kicking my feet up. Every curve of my spine was met and supported as if the tree had molded itself perfectly for its most frequent visitor. I rested my staff against the trunk beside me. My right hand traveled up the rough and bumpy back until it hit the smooth cut out. I traced my initials, along with my mother's and sisters'. After all of these years, they still remained untouched and present for all to see. Perhaps it was a good memory for the tree as well.

"You're late this year, little brother."

I jumped, losing my balance on the roots and sliding off into the snow. A soft giggle skipped through the air before my sister, Eira, made herself known. "Snow! I dusted myself off, leaving tracks in the previously unmarked snow. "What're you doing here?"

Eira glided across the snow, leaving a trail from her dress' long train. "It's the first snow of winter."

I dried off my clothing and stepped back up onto the roots. The wind swept across the snow, eliminating any trace of my embarrassment. "I'm aware. That still doesn't answer my question."

Eira kept walking to the edge of the cliff, giving her an unobstructed view of the rosy cheeked, tightly bundled children below - and gave them a full view of her. Every crystal hanging from her dress caught the morning sunlight, scattering little rainbows across the snow. It was sure to catch an eye or two. So much for staying hidden.

"You act as if this spot is your little secret. We came here every year with...Mother." She choked on the last word; I dropped my gaze. Eira cleared her throat. "I haven't been able to return since-"

I bit down, hard, on my bottom lip. "I'm glad you're here."

Eira clasped her hands in front of her. "What had you running late? Usually, you're here before dawn."

I slid back into my seat, propping my feet back up. The teams of children were finishing creating their arsenal of snowballs. It wouldn't be much longer now. "Breakfast took longer than expected."

Eira twisted the top of her spine and looked back at me, her head held high. "Mhm." She turned back to the children below. Screaming and screeching filled the air as the snowball fight commenced.

I tucked my hands behind my head. "So, are you going to answer my question or avoid it some more?"

"Are you going to tell me why you were really late?"

A stalemate then.

We stayed there, in silence, as we watched the battle below. Each side pummeled the other with snowball after snowball until the grass poked through behind both forts. Children on both sides quickly debated their next actions, unsure the state of the other team. Their protection was abandoned and the fight continued in the open meadow, where fresh snow was in abundant supply. Neither side conceded an inch of territory.

I glanced over at Eira from time to time. She continued to stand tall, spine straight, and shoulders back. She never swayed - an example of perfect elegance. Never wavering - never giving you the slightest glean into her thoughts.

It had been some time since I'd seen Eira. After Mother left, she retreated further from the family and locked me out. She needed some time to process everything, and I was happy to give her that time. She had been the closest with Mother after all.

But something felt off about her stance - her choice to stand at the edge of the cliff away from me was worrying.

Parents began collecting at the edge of the meadow, beckoning their children to the comfort of their warm homes. The youngest were the first to abandon the fight gleefully running to their parents. The older children continued battling until they were red in the face and without ammunition. They huffed across from each other, still refusing to admit defeat.

A final call from their parents had them trotting behind them, back home - back to their family to enjoy the last of the morning. The snowball fight was over, but the war was just beginning.

"Do you remember going to Mother's cottage when your powers were first coming in?" Eira glanced over her shoulder for a single moment before returning to the scene below. The suddenness of her words caught me off guard.

She didn't wait for me to answer. "It was so sunny and the air was beginning to warm. The animals were retreating from their hideouts. But Mother insisted the winter would be long and brutal. She sent us on an errand fore firewood.

"All three of us went out into the woods, competing to have the largest piles. Cora and I were in a dead heat for first and you just had a tiny pile of twigs." She bent her head down, growing quiet in the process.

I readjusted my position on the tree so my attention was focused squarely on Eira. "I remember."

Eira raised her head once more. Her icy blonde locks flowing back down her back to their original position, not a single crystal on her dress hindered their path. "Cora and I rushed into the forest to grab one more armful before Mother's deadline, determined to finally beat the other. When we returned-" Eira chuckled. "-we were so angry. I was so sure she'd taken my firewood so she'd win."

Eira turned so I could see the profile of her face. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked up into the sky. "You cleared your throat and we looked over to see the massive pile you'd suddenly accumulated."

I smiled. "Mother never specified how we had to collect the firewood."

Eira shook her head. "You're right. She didn't." Eira pressed her lips together, stopping the tremble - regaining her composure. "We couldn't stop laughing. The look of triumph on your snaggle tooth face was priceless." I shrugged.

Eira sighed. She turned so I could see her entire face. Her cerulean eyes glistened with tears waiting their turn to travel down her rosy cheeks. "That was the last time we were a true family."

I jumped up from the roots and walked over to Eira, not caring about the unmarked snow. It was a ridiculous notion thinking about it now. "Snow..."

Eira wiped her cheeks and eyes leaving no trace of the emotion that had been there a moment before. "I'm fine." She looked down at her hands - each taking turns at picking the other's nails. "Do you ever wish you could go back to those days, before the fracture?"

I grabbed Eira's hands. Her head remained down, unable to look me in the eyes. "We will never stop being a family."

Eira lifted her head up to meet my eyes. Her cerulean eyes twinkled like freshly fallen snow. "Promise you'll never abandon me."

I clutched her hands tighter, wanting her to feel the intent behind my words. "I will never leave you." I leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. "No matter what."

Eira didn't move a single muscle in the minute after. Her statuesque demeanor was piecing itself together, trying to cover up the weaknesses she exposed to the world. But she'd exposed too much. She finally collapsed into my arms and let me hold her.

Eira seemed so delicate and fragile here - in this moment. Every barrier she surrounded herself with had crumbled. I wasn't sure what had brought on this sudden vulnerability. Her pristine exterior hadn't cracked since we were children - certainly not since Mother left us. What would have her break this way?

"I will always protect you, little brother," she whispered into my chest. "No matter what."