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Mycena sat in front of the fireplace, three blankets wrapped around her while Hireath and Cossy were rushing around the kitchen. It sounded like they were busy arguing over what they should bring her but Mycena couldn't be sure. The sound of the fire crackling had her attention the second they had sat her in front of it. She didn't seem to fear it anymore but it brought memories to the surface, from before and from here. One stuck out to her more than the others, a winter afternoon spent like this, although she was much younger in that memory.
Her mothers had wrapped blankets around her and Cellia as soon as they'd entered the living area. The castle courtyard had been covered in snow and the pair had spent the morning tripping over their own feet. Sylvie had been with them, at least until she heard news that Aelia had returned from her trip. There was a small felvaxian boy with them too, though at the time, Mycena had no idea how important he'd be to her later. An earth spirit as well, following them around as they chased the snowflakes floating around the courtyard.
The two sat on either side of the twins now, the felvaxian next to Mycena and the earth spirit girl next to Cellia. They were tired out now, after running in circles to throw snowballs at one another. The boy beside her, Callisto, he was going on and on about his baby sister, ecstatic to be a big brother. Mycena was dozing off, but she managed to remember bits and pieces of what he'd said. The earth spirit and Cellia, they were arguing over something to do with snowflakes. She never understood then so why would she understand now?
It wasn't a long wait, the time between being sat down and Wren bringing them each hot chocolate. The four children sat together, cuddled into their blankets and sipping their cocoa. Mycena watched the flames dance, listening to the crackling. She was such a small and quiet girl back then, scared of being talked over so she just didn't speak. She did love this, though. The happy moments with people she considered friends.
Cossy took a seat beside Mycena, holding two mugs of cocoa. One for him, one for her. Hireath followed suit with her own mug, sitting to the left of Mycena. It was almost funny, the fact she'd always love these moments with them and yet it seemed like there would never be enough. She wouldn't see next winter, and they wouldn't see winters the same, would they? Everything would be different for her and for them. She would be a soul in the wind, and they would be here, living and breathing. At least she had this winter with them. She'd always wanted one last winter with her family, and while these two weren't the family she initially had in mind for that dream, it was what she wanted.