Don’t be surprised if there are several entries tonight. \u00a0I’m trying to catch up.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAt least it\u2019s good and cold today,\u201d Molly said, as she helped Schrodinger put his coat on. \u201cAnd it has been for the last week, so we don\u2019t have to worry about falling through the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n
As if Indi would even open the skating cove if the ice wasn\u2019t safe,<\/em> Schrodinger said. Then he saw what else Molly had in her hands and started to back away. No! Absolutely not!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s cold out!\u201d Molly said. \u201cDo you want frostbite on your pads?\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve never had a problem, and I\u2019ve been outside for all winter in the past,<\/em> he retorted, still backing away. I\u2019m not wearing booties!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cJack has a set now,\u201d Molly coaxed.<\/p>\n Jack is a dog! I am not, and I will not wear them!<\/em><\/p>\n Molly tried for the next five minutes to convince the CrossCat to put the woolen boots on, but he categorically refused, and she finally gave up, after warning him, \u201cI don\u2019t want to hear that your feet are cold!\u201d<\/p>\n If my feet are cold, I\u2019ll go sit beside the bonfire!<\/em> Schrodinger shot back, and despite herself, Molly laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cFine, fine.\u201d She tucked the woolen booties back into the mitten basket next to the front door, and grabbed the mittens her mother had knit her for the winter. \u201cAre you ready to go?\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been ready.<\/em><\/p>\n She laughed again and they went out the front door. Pavel had stopped by earlier in the day as she and Schrodinger were assembling gingerbread houses for delivery, and invited them out to skate later that night. Given that she hadn\u2019t skated yet this season, Molly had readily agreed.<\/p>\n Now, she and Schrodinger stepped out into a crystalline wonderland: one of those brilliant winter evenings when the air itself seemed to sparkle with ice, and the clouds hung low. The promise of snow danced on the stiff breeze as it swirled past them, hurrying down the sidewalk towards the sea.<\/p>\n As they stepped out into the cold, bells rang through the quiet street, announcing Pavel\u2019s arrival. Molly took one look at the sleigh and laughed again. This time, Pavel had outdone himself.<\/p>\n The sleigh this time was black, and drawn by a black horse that tossed his head as the driver pulled him to a stop in front of them. He stamped one foot, obviously ready to run forever. The driver was in a black peacoat with a long red and green scarf wrapped tightly around his face. Pavel himself wore a black furred coat, belted in black and gold, with a black furred hat on his head. The sleigh held piles and piles of furs, which Molly and Schrodinger burrowed into happily.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere do you keep finding these?\u201d Molly asked Pavel. \u201cYou can\u2019t tell me you keep a fleet of sleighs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe? No.\u201d Pavel winked at her. \u201cBut I have friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you?\u201d she teased, and he winked at her again.<\/p>\n The driver shook his reins and the horse took off, happy to be moving. The bells jingled merrily as they sped along, heading out to the skating cove on the gentle Elizabeth River outside the town, named for Captain Carter\u2019s favorite granddaughter.<\/p>\n Indi Sarabian and her husband ran the skating area every year, and every year they improved on the site. This year, they\u2019d strung lights through the trees lining the inlet: white snowflake lights, which cast a gentle glow on the whole area.<\/p>\n Oh, I like these better than the floodlights!<\/em> Schrodinger said, hooking his paws on the edge of the sleigh to boost himself up so he could see better. It looks like a snowglobe!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt does!\u201d Molly agreed, enchanted. \u201cI hope they keep them!\u201d<\/p>\n The sleigh drew up to the edge of the ice to let them out, drawing everyone\u2019s attention, and Molly giggled, knowing both Pavel and Schrodinger were enjoying their grand entrance. The pirate captain and the CrossCat jumped out of the sleigh almost before it came to a stop, and Pavel pivoted in the snow to give Molly a hand out.<\/p>\n It was still bitterly cold, but the cove was protected from the wind by the trees. As they did every year, the Sarabians had built a big bonfire on the shore, and Schrodinger headed right over there. Molly and Pavel followed him.<\/p>\n The cove was free to skate on, and Indi had built a small stand where she sold hot chocolate, tea and coffee, and rented skates for those who needed. She waved to Molly and turned to say something to the small child standing beside her. As Molly and Pavel sat on one of the logs lining the edges of the cove to put their skates on, the child (Indi\u2019s daughter Kara) brought out an old couch cushion and set it in the snow, within the warmth of the bonfire but far enough away from any stray sparks. She squealed with delight as Schrodinger hopped up on the cushion and stuck his cold nose onto her cheek in thanks.<\/p>\n \u201cI see they know you here,\u201d Pavel chuckled, standing up easily on his skates.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a small town. Everyone knows everyone,\u201d Molly said, standing up as well. She\u2019d gotten new skates for Christmas last year, and she, Drew and the others had gone skating until the ice had melted. But this year, there just hadn\u2019t been time, it seemed.<\/p>\n She\u2019d hoped she and Drew would have been able to go during his month off. But now, it was Pavel taking her hand and leading her out onto the ice. As they glided off into the cold night, Molly told herself her eyes were watering because of the cold.<\/p>\n Just the cold.<\/p>\n <><><\/p>\n \u201cThought I\u2019d find you here.\u201d<\/p>\n Drew didn\u2019t look up from the saddle he was polishing. \u201cIt was too hot in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Old Man Winter grunted as he came further into the stable. \u201cYou could turn the heat down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr I could come out here,\u201d Drew said, continuing to rub the leather oil into the saddle. \u201cWhich was easier. Besides, I was talking to Ember.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, we were having quite the conversation.<\/em> The dragon\u2019s voice was dry. Quite stimulating.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWell, I wouldn\u2019t want to interrupt a conversation,\u201d Old Man Winter said. \u201cI\u2019ll just go watch Molly and Pavel by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n The cloth fell from his hand and the saddle clattered to the floor as Drew whirled around. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, that got your attention,\u201d Old Man Winter said, scowling, but Drew saw an odd twinkle in his eyes. \u201cPut that saddle away and come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Once he\u2019d put the saddle and cleaning supplies away, Drew joined Old Man Winter in the main courtyard. Ember had joined them as well, to his surprise, walking easily on her healed leg.<\/p>\n I want to finally see Molly<\/em>, she said. I\u2019ve heard so much about her.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHow are we going to see her?\u201d Drew asked Old Man Winter. \u201cAre we going to the skating cove?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t do that,\u201d Old Man Winter grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I\u2019ve been there too much in the last couple of days,\u201d the old man said. \u201cDon\u2019t want to screw the weather up too much.\u201d<\/p>\n Drew looked at him, puzzled.<\/p>\n He really is Old Man Winter,<\/em> Ember said. If he stays in one place for too long, it can coat the entire place in a very long, cold winter, and that isn\u2019t always good. Why do you think he stays here?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d There wasn\u2019t much more to say to that. Then Drew frowned. \u201cWhy should you care? You don\u2019t like the Cove or humanity anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStill not right,\u201d Old Man Winter said stiffly. \u201cNow come on.\u201d And he set off across the courtyard, towards what Drew had assumed was a garden. Drew was hard-pressed to keep up with him as he pushed through the wrought-iron gate and crunched through the snow.<\/p>\n No, not a garden. Drew saw instead it was a maze, created by snow-covered boxwood hedges. Luckily, Old Man Winter seemed to know exactly where he was going, and Drew only had to keep him in sight.<\/p>\n Ember was waiting for them in the center of the maze, having simply flown in. She sat in the snow next to a pool of oddly unfrozen water, which was apparently Old Man Winter\u2019s destination.<\/p>\n \u201cHow is the water still liquid?\u201d Drew asked, leaning over. Old Man Winter stuck an arm out and pushed him back.<\/p>\n \u201cNot water,\u201d the old man said. \u201cDon\u2019t fall in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMagic,\u201d Old Man Winter said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, obviously,\u201d Drew said. \u201cOtherwise, it would be frozen.\u201d<\/p>\n No, he means it\u2019s liquid magic,<\/em> Ember said. Literally.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou can make liquid magic?\u201d Drew stared at the pool in fascination. \u201cWhat do you do with it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnything you can imagine,\u201d Old Man Winter said, dipping one finger in. \u201cBut mostly we use it to look at things.\u201d<\/p>\n Ice crystals spread from his finger, webbing across the pool\u2019s surface, turning into a mirror of glass. Old Man Winter muttered something under his breath, and the mirror rippled, as if a breeze had rushed through. Drew leaned over again, watching as the picture came into view.<\/p>\n He recognized the skating cove immediately. Indi had strung lights in the trees this year, but the bonfire was the same, and he saw Schrodinger holding court on his cushion in the snow. There were couples and clumps of people out on the ice, but Drew\u2019s eyes went unerringly to Molly and Pavel.<\/p>\n Molly\u2019s long hair was loose and flying behind her as she and Pavel spun around the ice. He couldn\u2019t hear her, but he could see she was laughing. Something akin to actual pain stabbed through him.<\/p>\n She is very pretty,<\/em> Ember said, leaning over and looking as well. But there is sadness in her eyes.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou can see that?\u201d Drew said.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t you?<\/em><\/p>\n And then he could. Even as she threw back her head and laughed again at something Pavel said, Drew could see the tension, and the worry in her body language.<\/p>\n Old Man Winter was watching too. \u201cAt least she\u2019s having a bit of fun,\u201d he said. \u201cShe needs to not work all the time. First time I\u2019ve seen her not up to her elbows in flour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe likes being up to her elbows in flour,\u201d Drew said. \u201cShe even bakes on her off days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKitchen witches do that.\u201d<\/p>\n As they watched, Pavel spun around and stopped in the ice. Drew recognized the ornament as soon as the pirate pulled it from his coat pocket: this one was silver and blue, icy colors, and had a small charm for the silver charm bracelet her mother had gotten her in the spring hanging from the top of the ornament. Molly\u2019s eyes went wide as she took the ornament.<\/p>\n \u201cPretty,\u201d Old Man Winter said, and Drew started. \u201cGood choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019re getting soft, Old Man,<\/em> Ember teased gently. Next thing we know, you\u2019ll be buying her a charm yourself.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBah,\u201d Old Man Winter said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t bother. There are better ways to make her smile.\u201d He reached down again and stuck his finger into the magic, whispering under his breath.<\/p>\n Drew watched, amused, as tiny snowflakes began to fall on the skating rink. Molly looked up at the sky and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI think she knows it\u2019s you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cDoesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Old Man Winter said, but there was a pleased smile on his face, and Drew knew that was a lie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Don’t be surprised if there are several entries tonight. \u00a0I’m trying to catch up. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> \u201cAt least it\u2019s good and cold today,\u201d Molly said, as she helped Schrodinger put his coat on. \u201cAnd it has been for the last week, so we don\u2019t have to worry about falling through the ice.\u201d As if Indi would …<\/p>\n