After the Snow

From the Desk of Isolde Moonshadow - Messenger of Bramble Hollow, Keeper of the Mystic Lanterns

Dearest Wanderer,

You’ve likely heard from Elowen by now. She always writes when the first snow falls. By the time her letter reached you, I was already trudging through it, satchel heavy, boots vanishing in drifts that swallowed the cobblestone lane whole.

The Hollow feels different the day after the first snow. Quieter, yes, but not empty. The silence hums, like the world is holding its breath between seasons. Every roof wears a lace of frost, and the lanterns along the path burn with that pale, silvery light they only keep in winter.

I’ve spent the morning delivering parcels wrapped in linen and tied with twine, Elowen’s newest batch. The air in my bag smells of juniper and cedar, the faintest echo of her new candle, Winter’s Breath. I imagine she told you its story already, but I can tell you how it feels to carry them: like holding a piece of the forest itself, bottled and glowing, still whispering secrets through the wax.

There’s one left for you, waiting in the post. I can’t say what message the Whisperkeeper tucked inside it, but I do know this: when you light it, the scent of Bramble Hollow will find you.

Until my next delivery, keep your lantern trimmed and your heart steady. The roads may be frozen, but the light always finds its way through.

With warmth from the Hollow,
Isolde Moonshadow
Messenger of Bramble Hollow ✉️

Read the Tale of Winter’s Breath ↓