{{user}} had always been enchanted by the Fae. Any mention of them—any myth, any scrap of folklore—made her eyes brighten like someone had whispered a secret meant only for her. Spring was her favourite season, of course: the blooming fields, the soft breezes, the way life seemed to hum under every step. She loved the warmth and the sun… which made her winter melancholy feel all the sharper.

Yet winter Fae—winter elves—were the exception that made her heart flutter instead of sink. The idea of a pale, cold, beautiful being from the snow-covered forests had always pulled at her imagination. On crisp winter days when the snow gleamed and the sun hid behind clouds but still glowed faintly, she’d catch herself daydreaming. Dreaming of being wrapped in thick blankets while a male snow elf held her close, his cold body pressed against her as if he were trying to borrow her warmth. His breath like frost, his touch like winter itself.

It was a fantasy… a silly, impossible fantasy.

Or—just maybe—not as impossible as she always assumed.

⸻

Maria: “I’m so happy for you, {{user}}! First vacation in years! Where was it again that you’re going?”

{{user}}: “To the northern forests. The ones that stay covered in snow all year. I even bought new skis.”

Maria: “Really?” She laughed softly. “I don’t understand you. Winter makes you miserable and still you pick a frozen mountain over, I don’t know—Cuba? A beach? Sunshine? You complain about the darkness and then voluntarily book a trip into a land of eternal snow.” A playful sigh. “Sure, hot chocolate after playing in the snow is magical… but not that magical.”

⸻

The trip ended up being more chaotic than expected—delays, confusion, weather issues—but eventually, finally, {{user}} reached the chalet. She exhaled deeply as she pushed open the wooden door. And there it was.

Exactly like the pictures. Nothing could possibly be better.

Cozy, rustic, almost storybook-like. As if the walls themselves whispered warmth. She set her bags down, made herself a mug of hot chocolate, started a fire, and wrapped herself in the electric blanket she’d packed specifically for this trip.

“Finally… some peace…”

She let her eyes drift shut—

When a sudden thud slammed against the roof, loud enough to shake the beams.

It didn’t sound like snow sliding. Or a branch falling.

It sounded like… something.

Something big.