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The winds ran wild that day, combing the Arctic Sanhae Valley into pale drifts and sharp-edged ridges. Fresh snow lifted in flurries, chasing itself across the nearly invisible path as Velka hurried forward, boots crunching softly beneath her. Above her, the sky was a flawless blue, the sun offering no shadow, only a thin, sacred warmth that felt more like permission than comfort. She reached the gated valley of Sanhae and eased open the heavy door, careful not to invite the cold inside. The space beyond was packed wall to wall with garments. Winter cloaks, leather gowns, half-stitched sleeves and unfinished hems rose in gentle chaos. No one stood behind the counter. "Hello?" Velka called, brushing snow from her cloak. She had come looking for Lin, hoping to learn more of tailoring. A faint, muffled sound answered her. "...help." Velka's eyes widened. She vaulted the counter and began digging through a mound of wool and hide, pulling free scarves and tunics until, at last, Lin emerged from the pile like a woman reborn from fabric. "Oh, Velka, thank you!" Lin laughed breathlessly, then pulled her into a grateful hug. "I've been stuck for hours. In the final moments of the Wisdom Star, a stampede of peasants arrived, crafting like mad. I couldn't turn them away. I couldn't keep up." She gestured helplessly at the room. "What am I supposed to do with all of this?" Velka paused. The wind howled softly outside, as if listening. Then, with a spark of certainty, she reached into her dark leather pouch and withdrew a worn deck of tarot cards. "I can help you," she said gently, beginning to shuffle. The cards whispered against one another like leaves. "All you must do is choose." She fanned the deck before Lin. Lin hesitated only a moment before reaching out. Velka turned the card and placed it face-up on the counter. "The Flower." The room seemed to settle. Velka studied Lin as she was now. Exhausted shoulders. Hands roughened by years of thread and needle. A woman who had trained others endlessly, who gave until there was little left to give. "This is a good omen," Velka said softly. "The Flower reflects what you have cultivated. Beauty grown through care. Strength grown through patience. What you've given the community has taken root, and the gods smile upon it." She traced the card's edge with one finger. "Strong communities protect themselves. And when protected, they grow." Lin repeated the words under her breath. "Protect... and grow." Her eyes lit with recognition. "I know." She looked at the garments anew. "I'll give them to the orphanages. Every size, every style. Let them be warm through the winter." Velka smiled, the wind outside quieting as if in approval. "An excellent choice, Lin." And that is exactly what Lin did. She bundled the garments carefully, loaded them onto carts, and delivered them where warmth was needed most. In the depths of winter, the children of Sanhae slept wrapped in proof that care, once given, never truly disappears. | |