A Fragment of Winter [Coci]

[Lief]

As the cart crossed the bridge Mysa could not help but be a little skeptically fearful of how much weight it could hold before breaking. Thankfully she wouldn't have to find out, as they just about cleared the bridge before pulling up alongside the inn.

A stablehand was quick to meet them, who seemed to look upon Abeline adoringly. Though she had only known the mare for the duration of the journey she could not help but feel a pang of pride, she had already garnered quite the bond with her.

Moving down from the cart young Snowstrider prepared to pull her weight - literally - by helping Coci with the cart. She waved at the young lad, Karle, before he led the mare to water, before focusing on the task at hand.

Well, it was certainly hard work being a horse!

With a little bit of effort on both of their parts, the task was achieved and the duo were able to head indoors to be greeted with the warmth of a hearth and a belly full of food. They were not like the others in their family, in that being used to the cold did not come naturally to them. So Mysa, as she was sure Coci was too, was always grateful for the extra warmth.

Stomping the snow out of her boots at the door, Mysa held it open for her Master and smiled. "I quite enjoyed our little journey" she confessed, it was nice to see new regions of the world.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

She smiled, "Me too", she said on the step before the mead hall, on which the master vanished and the mother came to the forefront. Coci placed her arm around Mysa's shoulder and pulled her close to place a kiss on her forehead, as the door opened the view before them was most inviting indeed. Her eyes looked around the room, taking in everything as she kicked the snow off her boots on the step. A few of Valkyri inside turned to see who the new comers were, looking on with curiosity as it was clear, at least in their feature on their face, that Mysa and she are not of this world. None of them, at this point, seemed to have recognised them, to Coci's delight and so the two girls entered the mead hall.

There was room at the end of one of the table, the mead hall is busy tonight with other travels stopping at this junction in the roads, some from far away as the Isle of Tears, others down from the clans that reside in the mountains, but soon enough their curiosity waned and they returned to their meals and mead. The fire from the main hearth roared and spat with a large log, the heat of it so very welcoming to her cold bones and a red flush coloured her cheeks.

"That looks like a good spot", she pointed to the end of the table, well it was the only spot left.

"Good eventide, ladies", the mead hall keep and father to Karle, approached them both and gave Coci a trailing eye that looked over her body. "Good eventide to you", she returned the greeting with a slightly peaked brow. "We wish for food and bed for the night, I have items to trade for our passage of fare", she inclined her head in a small bow. To which the keep raised an arm to invite them to the table. He disappeared quickly, however and soon a serving woman come to them offering stew, roasted meats and broth. She placed a large platter of freshly baked bread and cheese before them, another came with two tankards of mead placing them hard on the table before Coci and Mysa.

"We have one room left upstairs, it is yours", one of the serving women informed her and Coci thanked her for the accommodation. "I'm starving, lets eat", she said to Mysa offering her first choice of the bread and cheese.

​

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[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

 

[Lief]

Coci's warm embrace was more than welcome. She had missed her dearly, all facets of their relationship - the Master, the Mother, the Auntie. It felt like an eternity since they had spent time together due to Mysa's decision to remain on Midvinter for several years away from the Jedi. A lot had happened to bring her to that point, namely adjusting to the appearance of her birth mother and her father. Kära and Mysa naturally had a lot to talk about, bridges to rebuild. It had been slow going, but Mysa now felt she was ready to rejoin the greater Galaxy. To focus on her training as a Jedi.

Which was partially why they were here today, she figured.

Nobody inside knew who they were. Both Coci and Mysa had become prominent figures in the Capital whether they liked it or not, due to their familial ties to the High King and his sons. But out here, among those who very rarely had chance or cause to venture to the heart of Midvinter, they were just another set of strangers.

Her eyes fell upon the hearth which was extremely inviting, and she was about to head in that direction when a man approached them. Coci and he exchanged pleasantries while Mysa simply remained quiet and looked upon all the gathered faces. There were quite a few given the late hour.

It didn't take long for the duo to be seated before the fire, and with a quiet sigh Mysa kicked off her boots and wiggled her toes to bring some life back into them.

Bread, cheese, broth, mead. It was all a little overwhelming to her senses when the food came. She waited patiently to begin despite how hungry she truly was, and in no time at all she was able to tuck in. "Thank you Coci" she said, with a soft smile. She did not touch the mead, pushing that over to Coci instead, and brought out a skin of water for her own refreshment. She had never drank mead before, it seemed to make people do silly things. She'd rather keep her wits about her.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Coci grinned as Mysa pushed the mead toward her, it is an acquired taste and besides she is still a little young to be drinking the stuff anyway. The meal had arrived, looking and smelling amazing, anything would at this point as they are both very hungry. And the meal passed in silence for the most part, although Coci kept her attention around her, one can never tell when trouble will surface, especially when Valkyri get too much mead under their belts. And on the mark, the end of the table burst into song, the lyrics of which would make a fishmongers wife blush and Coci nearly choked on her meat.

Yet the girls would not stay long in the mead hall, as they had to arise early come the morning to make their way to Rildonmark and beyond into the mountains. Coci approached the serving girl and acquired the key to their room, the fire would be lit for their comfort, and water provided for bathing. As Coci opened the door to the room, a wall of warmth hit her face, there is a small fire in the room and the bed basic to say the least, but each bed had a mountain of furs to sleep within.

She smiled at the sight, regardless of the lack of modern conveniences it looked comfortable and warm. Besides she had slept on the ground in a cave, this was luxury by comparison. "Dibs on the right bunk!".

​

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

 

[Lief]

She had practically fallen asleep upright while eating, so enticing was the fire at their side. Like a babe swaddled it had taken all of her willpower to make it through dinner, and by the time the more rowdy songs began she was more than ready for her bed. Whatever it was, wherever it was. Even if it meant sleeping on the hard bench.

Thankfully that wasn't necessary. Once Coci had finished she rose up and together the pair ventured through the inn toward their room. It was just as warm, if not warmer, than the mess hall, and Mysa found herself kicking her boots off yet again and wriggling her toes, lowering onto the bed her Master hadn't claimed.

Mysa enjoyed the way most Valkyri homes looked. They were basic, humble, yet welcoming all the same. The furs which lined her bunk were extremely inviting, and it wasn't long before young Snowstrider was curled amongst them. "I'll bathe in the morning" she mumbled, already most of the way to sleeping already. "Goodnight, Mother."

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

She would not disturb Mysa with talk, her daughter was clearly fatigued from the day's journey, as she was, but Coci moved to the side of her bedding and made sure she was tucked in before placing a soft kiss on Mysa's forehead. "Sleep well, Mysa". Coci wasted no time in going to bed herself, it was nice the room was so warm which help with undress, but also lulled them to sleep. The night passed without incident although Coci's sleep had been restless, it always is when he is not sharing her bed with her, but even though, rest had restored the women.

The morning broke through the glass of the small window in their room. It was white light, which Coci realised was filtered through white clouds that had deposited a heavy dump of snow through the night. The fire had gone out save for a few embers slowly dying and quickly Coci jumped out of bed to rekindle the flames with wood provided by the door. The smell of breakfast wafted through the cracks in the walls and made her stomach growl. Mysa and Coci would travel as soon as possible after breaking fast, and so she left Mysa tucked in the thick furs still sleeping, to see to arrangements.

She found the young lad that had taken a shine to their mare and asked him to get her ready to depart. He obliged her after accepting a small trinket as trade for work, equally she bartered with his father for the cost of the meal and room for the night, and once the 'account' was settled, Coci returned to their room to find Mysa.

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[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

 

[Lief]

Cold seeped into the furs at some point in the night, which told Mysa of the snowstorm which had fallen upon the village. While she nestled further down and sought both warmth and sleep - after all, sunrise was still hours away - she could not help but smile a little.

Sure, snow made for difficult travel but even after all these years the young Snowstrider adored fresh snow. There was a wonder to it that she was always in awe of. Tomorrow would be both fun and testing, the severity of each would depend on how thick it had fallen of course.

She did not wake again until the fire was crackling in the hearth. With a soft yawn she wriggled up from beneath the blankets where she had buried herself, until her eyes peeked across the room. Coci's bunk was empty. It might have worried her, had Coci not been such a busy woman at all moments, no doubt she was off tending to something.

Mysa rose, toes complaining as they met the cold wood of the floor. Best she wash up and dress before her mother returned, she didn't want to hold up their travels.

By the time Coci returned Mysa was finishing up the last braid which held her hair back from her face. "Good morning" she said, with a barely concealed yawn to boot, "I hope the snow isn't too thick to travel?"

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]