Walpurgis Night

1

Howls of hounds filled the night air, the light of the moon shrouded behind clouds. A young woman darted through the trees, crowned and dressed in white, her feet covered in shoes of fire. The cold of winter being the reason for her pallor, she kept running, fearing the drawing sound of the pounding footsteps of the Riders.

Every year for nine nights she fought to outrun the forces of Winter, to fight for the coming of the Spring and Summer. Sometimes she outran them just in time to beat them back with the warmer seasons; other times the Wild Hunters caught her and kept her trapped, prolonging the winter just so they could continue to ride. It was only the first night, and already she could hear her captors closing in.

Up ahead was a village, and she reached it quickly. Wild-eyed, she went to every open door and window, asking its occupants if she could stay the night. Some outright closed their doors as soon as she came near; others sadly declined or gave an excuse for not allowing her in. The woman carried with her a spindle and a triangular mirror, the latter which revealed the future to her. She peeked at it now, and saw the image of a farmhouse a few homes down. Without stopping, she made her way to the farm, the cold temperature dropping further still.

It was a sturdy farmhouse, and the farmer who lived there was carrying his last stack of grain inside for the night. The woman saw her chance.

"Please sir!" She called out as she neared him. "I beg of you, let me stay but a night! The other villagers have all but turned me, and the winter is coming still!" She waited until he set the stack down near others of its kind before speaking again. "Let me hide in your stacks of grain, sir. If only it for a night."

The farmer, his eyes filling with concern, nodded and motioned to the stacks of grain. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like. But wouldn't a room be more comfortable?" He took in her harried appearance as he spoke. "I've got a spare."

The woman shook her head. "This is more than enough here." She hurried over to the grain and hid herself. "I thank you, kind farmer." The farmer nodded and closed the door behind him.

No sooner had he done so than the winds of horses' hooves blown through the village and passed over the farm.

In the morning the farmer went to check on the woman. All that was left behind were grains of gold in the spot where she'd hidden herself for the night. The woman's identity finally dawned on the farmer.

"Walpurga..."