SSO Winter Prompts 2020

21. Card (Mrs. Holdsworth)

Mrs. Holdsworth set down a stack of cards, all with different pictures and matching envelopes. They were cards with picturesque landscapes, snowflakes, whimsical animals, and anything else remotely related to winter and holidays. Next to the cards was a flipbook of addresses and several pens in different colors.

A cup of tea prepared later and she was working on her holiday cards. There were cards for the Moorlands and the stable staff, cards for family, and cards for friends near and far. Some cards were short and sweet well wishes, some were nearly letters with how much she had to tell them about the past year, and some cards she added small doodles or an extra bit of artistic flair to.

Envelopes were stuffed, addressed, and put into a 'done' pile, and she was left with just a few cards left. She looked at her empty teacup and headed into the kitchen, mulling over her thoughts as the kettle warmed up and she nibbled on a cookie. There were a few people she wasn't sure about. She knew she wanted to send a letter to Pi, but wasn't sure what to say. She didn't know if she should send a letter to the ringmaster up at Nilmer's, he confused her greatly. He wasn't the Ydris she had met before, but he was still Ydris, somehow, with a different face. She didn't understand what had happened, or what sort of card she would send or what she would say.

Looking through the remaining cards helped her decide, and she picked out a card with art that looked like a painting of the northern lights, all purple and pink over a forest landscape. Her card to Ydris was brief: introducing herself, wishing him well, and extending an offer to tea and cookies should he want company close to his circus. Pi's card ended up much longer, praising Pi for getting back on track, hoping she is doing well, and hoping they can catch up properly soon.

With those two cards finished she thought about the final card she wanted to write. As she considered what she was going to say she walked through the house to stretch her legs, stiff from sitting and writing for so long. Her feet took her into another room, her eyes drawn to a box high up on a shelf, made of dark wood with a lock made of teeth. She smiled sadly, the memories bittersweet, but she knew what to write now.

The next day she flagged Rebecca down, asking the young woman to deliver a letter for her.

"I know the addresses of everyone I wrote holiday cards for this year except for one, I believe you know him! Scott Buttergood, I think I've seen you two riding through Moorland," Mrs. Holdsworth said with a smile, holding the letter out. Rebecca looked puzzled and a bit wary but took the envelope. Scott was equally caught off guard and puzzled when Rebecca gave him the card at the house outside of Dundull.

She took a step away, not sure if she should give him privacy or give in to her curiosity while he opened the envelope and pulled out the card.

"What does- should I go, or?" Rebecca asked as he started to read.

"It- it says Valentina would be proud of me," he muttered, feeling sick as memories came back.

"Who is Valentina?" she asked, even more confused as she watched him swallow and lose the color in his face.

"I need to read this alone," he excused himself, heading down the hall to his room.

"What was that about?" Connie asked, coming into the room with a stack of cards and envelopes.

"I have no idea. What're you doing?" she turned her attention to him as he sat down at the table, setting up to write.

"Working on holiday cards. Have you done yours yet?" he glanced up at her while uncapping his pen.

"I don't really do holiday cards," she admitted before grinning, "what, is it uncouth to not send out cards every winter?"

"It is in my family," Connie smiled back and patted the chair next to him, "if you want to help, you can put the stamps on the envelopes?"

She smiled and took a seat, giving one last worried look down the hall where Scott had disappeared before helping Connie with the cards.