b2mem | Tales for Mettare (Winter in Arnor) 17/24?, by Kaylee Arafinwiel

B2MeM Challenge: Winter Wonderland – G54
Format: Drabble – triple drabble and a half
Genre: family
Rating: Gen
Warnings: n/a
Characters: Aragorn, OCs
Pairings: n/a
Creators' Notes (optional): Takes place during "Winter in Arnor", during Aragorn's first winter with the Dúnedain. Warning: Non-graphic OC death.
Summary: The tale of Lord Frost continues. "Chilly Winds"

The children attended raptly to Master Rúmil’s story as he continued to speak. “The wood-cutter took his niece into the woods to meet Lord Frost. “Now, when Lord Frost comes, mind you speak respectfully to him,” he said quietly, for he loved his niece despite her bad temper. He did not wish ill to befall her.

“You cannot tell me what to do, old man,” she sneered back, and with a sigh, the wood-cutter returned home. Well, before long the chill heightened as the wild wind soared through the trees, and Lord Frost neared, crackling his way through the branches. Acairis pulled her blanket round her, trying to keep out the cold, but to no avail.

“Are you warm, little maid? Are you warm, little red-cheeks?” Lord Frost called. Acairis ignored everything her uncle had told her, and answered angrily,

“Ugh, Frost, why must you ask such stupid questions? I am freezing, and I have only come to get the gifts you gave to my cousin.”

Well, Lord Frost was not impressed at all with that answer. When he came up to her, he had no pity on the girl. So cold a night it was, that when the wood-cutter came to fetch his niece in the morning, he found her frozen stiff from Lord Frost’s attentions. When Melyanna’s father came back with Acairis, dead, his sister flew into such a rage! She would have beaten Melyanna and turned her out of doors, but the wood-cutter defended his daughter.

“Sister,” he said, “it was your idea for our daughters to meet Lord Frost.” He frowned. “My daughter earned her reward by behaving well and kindly, and your daughter earned her reward for rude and disrespectful behavior. I will endeavor to discover a proper husband for my daughter.”

“Wretch of a brother,” the sister replied, “how dare you blame this on me? I shall turn you both out of my lodge!” They were fighting, and someone might have been truly hurt, if a knock at the door had not distracted them. Melyanna ran to the door, to see who was there…”