Solstice In Sonheim: Zach's Gift

This is one half of a pair of stories for Solstice in Sonheim. If you wish to read the other side of this tale, please feel free to look through Violet's Feast
Sonheim, 1535


Chapter 1
Afternoon, Solstice Eve
Thud. Thud.
The sound of a hammer’s head connecting with a chisel’s butt echoed in the shop, deadened only by the wood shaved off by the latter’s tip.
Thud. Thud.
Zach set his tools to the side and blew the debris off the block to get a better look at his work. The gap he had carved out just crept up on the outline he had marked with his knife and the interior looked crisp and square. All that remained was the question of fit.
Zach opened a drawer and pulled out a half-spent tea candle. He tried to slot it into the woodblock, but the bottom rim of the tea light kept catching on the lip of the hole. Stowing the candle away and picking up his tools, Zach settled back in to removing material.
Thud. Ding.
Zach stopped his hammer mid-swing and looked at the curtain that separated the front of the shop from the back. The shop was supposed to be closed, wasn’t it? Everyone else had long since gone home. He had seen Morgan leave almost an hour ago… to pay his girlfriend… a… visit…
Did he forget close the shop on the way out!?
Ding. Ding.
Having his answer, Zach put his tools down and got up from his desk. A few quick strides were enough for him to cross the workshop and part the curt-
Ding. Ding.
“We’re clo-,” Zach announced as he stepped into the small foyer that made up the front of the Cullen’s shop. He clamped his mouth shut when he saw who was waiting for him on the opposite side of the front desk. “Mr. Weissman!”
“Good afternoon, Zachary,” Gavan Weissman greeted, his smile just peeking out from beneath the salt-and-pepper of his beard. “I hope now’s not a bad time.”
“N-no, sir,” Zach stammered out, trying to compose himself. “What brings you by?”
Gavan produced a paper-wrapped parcel from under his arm and gently set it down on the front desk. “It’s this music box I picked out for Abigail as a Solstice gift,” he said, unfolding the paper to reveal a beautifully carved wood and metal box with a small crank handle sticking out of one side. “It arrived yesterday, but when I was showing it to Beatrice and gave it a little test crank, the thing barely budged. I was hoping one of you could give it a look.”
“Why didn’t you take it to whoever you bought it from?” Zach asked. “They probably could have given you a new one.”
“That’s the first place I stopped on the way here,” Gavan replied. “They’re already closed up for the holiday.” He breathed out a heavy sigh. “I know this is short notice, but if there’s a chance one of you could fix it up before tomorrow night, it’d be a real help.”
Silencing the small part of him that wanted to inform Mr. Weissman that they were supposed to be closed too, Zach picked up the box and looked it over. It truly was a beautiful piece, one that must have come from one of the higher end shops in Sonheim. Dark walnut varnished and polished to a glossy sheen with brass grates on the front and back to give the music an easy way to fill the room.
What Zach failed to find were any signs of damage to the exterior. No bumps and dents that might have implied being dropped, which was a good sign. It meant the issue was more likely to be a simple fix.
“Couldn’t hurt to take a look inside, I suppose,” Zach finally said, turning and holding the curtain open.
Gavan sighed in relief and made his way around the desk to follow Zach into the shop. “I can’t thank you enough, Zachary.”
“You’re welcome, but I can’ make any promises until I open this up,” Zach remarked as they crossed the shop to his desk. “How’s Abby doing, anyway?”
“Oh, she’s excited for the Solstice like everyone else. Can barely get her to sit still for moment lately.”
Zach chuckled as he placed the music box on his workbench. That sounded just like the little girl he had seen running around the Weissman home when he had visited. He stowed his hammer and chisel away and pulled a screwdriver from the pegboard above his bench. A few screw-turns and the gentle removal of one crank handle later, Zach had the mechanism out where he could survey the damage.
The music cylinder’s axel was bent and had dislodged itself from its cradle. The freed rod must have fallen into the crank gears as it was now wedged between the teeth, no doubt causing the jamming Gavan had described earlier. Fortunately, neither the cylinder itself nor the music tines seemed to have sustained any damage. Zach could handle the cogs and gears, but those pieces were a touch or two beyond him to repair.
“Um, Zachary,” Gavan said while the boy searched for any other signs of damage. “Why is it so quiet here today? You and the Cullen men are normally all busy tinkering away whenever I visit.”
“Probably back home by now,” Zach replied, looking up from the mechanism. “Mr. Cullen let us off early for the holiday.”
Gavan peered around the shop then back at Zach. “Then what are you doing here, lad? I’d have thought a young man like yourself would be down at the nearest tavern celebrating.”
And I would have thought my adoptive brother could remember to turn a sign in the window around. What Zach said instead was, “I have to get my gift for the Exchange done before tomorrow night, so I thought I’d get some work done while the shop was empty.”
“Your gift for what?”
“Exchange of Creations,” Zach explained. “It’s an artificer's tradition. Basically, we make a gift for each other using what we learned over the year.”
Gavan chuckled. “Sounds perfect for the Solstice,” he said. “I’m surprised I haven’t heard of it before. If you don’t mind my asking, what is it you’re making this year?”
“I’m making a candle holder for Morgan.” Zach gestured to the chiseled-out block of wood still clamped in the bench’s vise.
“A practical gift,” Gavan said, quirking his eyebrow at the simple block.
Zach grinned and reached into his bench drawer. He pulled a small wooden case out, its glass top revealing a system of polished silver and brass gears turning against one another. There was no clock face or hands to be seen and, aside from a hole in the back presumably meant for a wind-up key, no means of interacting with the world beyond the gears’ casing. All the box seemed capable of doing was turning the gears inside. Zach set the case on the bench and produced a key from the drawer and wound the mechanism, letting the gears mesh and spin in a rhythmic ticking.
“I also made this as a background for it,” Zach said.
Gavan peered at the device, his bewilderment giving way to curiosity. If Morgan showed even half of that same reaction once he saw his gift finished and whole, it would be worth every bit of the last two weeks of work Zach had given.
“I’m sure he’ll love it,” Gavan declared, patting Zach’s shoulder. “It certainly proves I came to the right place about Abigail’s gift.”
“Thanks,” Zach said. “Speaking of, I found what was wrong with her music box.”
“And?” Gavan asked hopefully. “Do you think you can fix it?”
Zach scratched his head, adding up how much time this would take him. He still had his own project that needed attention, but that was close to being done…
“It’s going to need a new rod, that’s for sure,” Zach replied. “Might need to replace the cradle for it, too. Can’t tell if the rod bent the teeth of those gears, but I should have some extra ones lying around that could replace them if needed. I should be able to have it fixed tomorrow afternoon. Will that work?”
Gavan let out another laugh. “That will be splendid, lad! Oh, you’ve no idea the worry you’ve saved me. Now that that’s settled, I’d best be off and leave you to your work. I can’t thank you enough for your help with this, Zachary.” “It’s no bother, sir,” Zach assured as he led the man back to the front of the shop.
“These should be enough to cover expenses,” Gavan remarked, placing a few silver coins in Zach’s palm as he collected his hat and coat. “Just bring the box up to the house when you’ve finished the repairs, will you?”
“Of course - wait! I’m not sure…”
But Gavan was already out the door and into his carriage. He was already trundling off by the time Zach made it around the desk and to the door.
“If the carriages will be running tomorrow,” Zach finished weakly. He realized he’d just have to cross that bridge when he came to it, though the first buddings of a headache seemed willing to see him now. Rubbing his temple, Zach flipped the sign in the window and settled down for the work that was ahead of him

Chapter 2
Noon, Solstice Day
Zach gingerly threaded the music cylinder onto the newly made rod, its internal teeth meshing smoothly with the groove cut into the spindle. Once the cylinder was fully on, he inserted the keyed end of the rod into the matching slot of the gear meant to drive it. Seeing the pieces nestle together without rattling about or needing the aid of a hammer, Zach felt budding confidence grow in his chest as he finally placed the crank into the mechanism and gave it a turn. The cylinder soon began to turn and pick out a small melody on the thin metal comb beneath it.
From how sigh of relief Zach breathed out, one would have thought it was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard.
Repairing the music box had proved to be more of an undertaking than Zach had thought at first blush, particularly fashioning a replacement axel from what was available around the shop. He thanked his lucky stars that he’d been able to find a stock piece of metal that was already the right diameter, but that had still left the matter of shaping the rod to into the keyed holes on both the cylinder and driving gear.
It was one of the few times Zach had been tempted to try and use magic to save himself some time, but he had ultimately decided against it. He wasn’t confident he could fix a new head on the rod that without risking it snapping off later. Softening the material wasn’t an option either as, while it would have made filing a good sight easier, it would have also made accidentally bending the rod easier as well.
In the end, there wasn’t much else to do but for Zach to hunker down and get to work. He had spent most of the evening bouncing between the music box and his own project. It proved exhausting juggling to two, but Zach could at least say he’d made solid progress by the time he had locked the shop up for the night.
After a night’s rest and spending the better part of Solstice morning in the shop, Zach finally had both projects sitting on his bench, done and ready for gifting.
All that was left was delivering them, which came with its own issues.
The Weissmans lived in Holly Grove, one of the wealthier neighborhoods in Sonheim. So naturally, it was clear on the other side of the city from the Cullens’ workshop, meaning Zach would need to find a carriage if he wanted to make it there and back before dark.
Stowing both gifts away in his satchel, Zach locked the shop once more and made his way to the market. As he had expected, the city streets were light on carriages today with most drivers wanting to spend the Solstice with their families like everyone else. The same could be said for the canals and the rare boat that Zach past as he walked.
Still, people were out and about and that meant there was still coin to be had for those willing to work part of the holiday. This was especially true around the market where people were making last minute runs to shops and grocers in preparation for the night’s festivities. It was those same people who often looked for a boat or carriage to help them either carrying their purchases home or, like Zach, deliver items to where they were meant.
And oh, was it good business for the drivers today. Either the holiday had snuck up on more people than usual or Zach underestimated the noon day rush on the stalls because the market was positively bursting with people moving every which way. Zach gawked at the crowd, wondering how he’d manage to find a carriage in the mess.
Of course, as what often happens when one is faced with such a conundrum after a day of hard work, Zach’s stomach reminded him of how long it had been since he last ate in the universal language of a low growl that could be heard over the din of the milling crowd. Deciding to deal with the simpler of the two problems before him, Zach merged with the crowd and began searching for stall or shop selling something he could eat.
Whether it was by following the flow of the crowd or his own nose, he found himself moving towards a small bakery at the end of the block. Zach made to walk in, but the door swung inward just before he could reach its handle. He just barely managed to arrest his momentum before colliding with a young woman wearing heavy-looking burgundy cloak, its hood pulled up over her head.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the woman said, a few strands of reddish-brown hair spilling from her hood as she stopped short herself. “No harm done,” Zach remarked, stepping aside as he held the door open with his hand. The woman nodded before tucking her basket under her arm and walking back into the crowd.
Walking into the bakery, Zach found that he had managed to find it during a lull in business with only a couple people ahead of him in line as an elderly Kyamese man stood behind the counter. The old Elf proved to be quick as Zach had barely enough time to look over the menu board on the wall before he found himself at the front of the line.
“If I could get three bread rolls, please,” Zach ordered, counting up his coins. He glanced over at the display of treats beside the counter. “Oh, and a small bag of those candied almonds, too.”
A moment later, Zach stood back outside, munching on the first of his bread rolls. He stowed the other two and the bag of almonds in his satchel as he merged back into the flow of the crowd, turning his attention back to finding a carriage to ride now that stomach wasn’t growling up a storm.
“What do you mean three pence to go to the theater district?” a voice rang out.
Zach stretched to peer over the crowd and saw the woman from the bakery talking to a carriage driver. Though arguing might have been a more apt description judging by the sound of it.
“It was two pence the other day,” the woman said. “It’s a ten-minute ride from here!”
“Solstice rates, lass,” the driver said calmly, clearly aware of where he and his coach currently sat in terms of supply and demand.
Zach, however, paid little mind to how the driver had chosen to be inspired by the occasion as he forced his way through the throng of people towards him and the young woman. An idea had begun to take form in his head.
“How much for stopping in the theater district on the way to Holly Grove?” he asked, earning surprised looks from both people before him.
The driver, to his credit, was the first to recover as he considered his answer. “That’d be five pence, all things said,” he replied. “Alright,” Zach said before turning to the woman. “Don’t supposed you’d be willing to split the fare?”
The young woman blinked as her mind caught up with the sudden turn of events. It was still a marked-up price, but split, wouldn’t come as much of a sting to their purses. Not to mention the best deal she was likely to get if this was what she could expect from the other drivers.
“Very well,” the woman replied, rummaging in her purse for her portion of the fare. Once she and Zach had paid up, they climbed aboard and the driver snapped his reins.
Zach pulled out his second roll out of his bag and bit into it, focusing on its taste and warmth instead of the trundling of the carriage. He knew it’d be a longer ride before he made to Holly Grove, so he tried to take his time and saver the snack as much as he could.
“That one of Mori’s?” the woman asked, speaking up for the first time since they had sat down. Strangely, she still had her hood up despite being out of the wind, though Zach could see a pair of green eyes peering out from underneath it.
Zach stopped mid-bite. “Who?”
“Mori’s bakery,” the woman said, now sounding a little annoyed. “It’s where we nearly ran into each other earlier.”
“Oh, yeah, it is,” Zach said, feeling a bit embarrassed. He hadn’t really been paying attention to the name of the bakery when he had been there, hungry as he was. Though he was glad to know it now. If these rolls were anything to go by, he’d happily pay them another visit. “Um… did you want one? I’ve got another.”
The woman glanced down at her basket, her hand drifting towards her stomach. After a beat, she nodded and Zach tossed his last roll to her.
“Thanks,” she said quietly before turning towards the carriage’s window, munching on the morsel.
Zach quirked an eyebrow at the woman, but a bump in the road had him tense against the compartment’s walls as the carriage settled, rousing him from his thoughts.
The rest of the ride passed in silence between the two. Unlike Zach, the woman didn’t linger while eating her roll, polishing it off in less than a minute. She kept her gazing out at the city as they rode past. Zach, for his part, left her alone while trying to distract himself during the ride.
Eventually, the carriage jerked to a halt and the driver knocked on the outside of the compartment. "’Ere’s the theater district,” he announced.
“This’ll be mine,” the woman said as she opened the carriage door. “Thanks for splitting the fare.”
“I was heading this direction, anyway,” Zach remarked, giving a small smile. “Happy Solstice.”
The woman paused a beat as she stepped down onto the cobblestones. “Happy Solstice,” she repeated back, peering up at him. Zach couldn’t read her expression before it passed a second later with her turning down the street.
“Next stop, Holly Grove,” the driver announced, snapping his reins once more.
Zach quickly pulled the compartment door shut as the carriage lurched back into motion. He had already finished his roll, but the streets thankfully became smoother as they left the theater district for the wealthier sections of the city. Still, it came as a relief when the carriage came to a stop and Zach was able to disembark. Waving away the driver, Zach walked the last couple of blocks to his destination.
Despite how many trips Zach had made up to the neighborhood over the years, it was still striking to see the contrast between Holly Grove and the residences found near Guild Row. The homes were made from pristine stone and brickwork instead of the wood and plaster one typically saw when touring the city. Neat, green gardens dotted each property, kept separate by sturdy stone walls or wrought iron fences. Outside of the greenhouses used by local apothecaries and the occasional alchemist, the most greenery Zach usually saw was a box planter in a neighbor’s window. It was more than he’d likely ever own himself in his whole lifetime, let alone know what to do with even if it wasn’t.
Zach eventually came to the home he was looking for, marched up the pavers that cut through the front garden, and gave a few sharp raps in the brass doorknocker. The door swung open a moment later, revealing an older gentleman in a grey servant’s attire.
“Master Blackwater,” the butler greeted. “Happy Solstice.”
“Same to you, Simon,” Zach returned. “I have a project Mr. Weissman asked me to take care of for him.”
“I’m sure the master will be glad to see it complete,” Simon said, the tone in his voice implying that he was well aware of what this project was. “Please come in. I’ll inform the master of your arrival.”
Zach followed the butler inside and took a seat on a bench in the entry hall. As Simon disappeared down the hall, he leaned himself back until his back rested against the wall and closed his eyes. He tried to hide his grin as he heard the soft padding approach him.
“Hi, Abby,” Zach said, eyes still closed. He opened his eyes to find the small girl in question, arms deflating to her side.
“How’d you know I was there?” Abigail said. “I was really quiet that time.”
Now Zach did show his grin. “Must be because I’m a grown up.”
“I’m a grown up, too!” Abigail pouted.
“Oh? And how’s that?”
“Glenda’s been teaching me how to cook. I’ve been learning how to make all kinds of stuff.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep! That means I’m a grown up.”
“Oh, little Abby’s all grown up now, is she?” Zach remarked in the most dramatic voice he could make while keeping a straight face. “Cooking and baking her own treats. Pity. I guess you won’t what I brought then, would you?”
The pout immediately left Abigail’s face, replaced with curiosity. “You brought something for me?” she said. Her face lit up as she connected the dots. “Is it a Solstice present? Can I see it?”
“I thought you were a grown up now,” Zach said, feigning confusion. “Only little boys and girls get presents, don’t they?”
“No,” Abigail cried. “Mama and papa give presents to each other, too.”
“Hmm… I don’t know…” Zach mused.
Abigail crossed her arms, the pout from earlier returning in full force.
Okay, Zach thought. That’s enough teasing for one day. He chuckled and patted the girl on her head. “Close your eyes and hold out your hands, okay?”
Beaming, Abigail complied and eagerly stretched out her hands.
Zach pulled his satchel onto his lap, making sure he’d be the only one able to see inside. He didn’t think for a second that Abigail would resist trying to sneak a peek and he wasn’t about to spoil her father’s present for her. With some exaggerated rummaging, he pulled out the bag of almonds and placed it in Abigail’s waiting hands.
Abigail’s eyes instantly opened and she let out a squeal of glee, nearly ripping the bag as she looked to see what treasures were inside.
“Candied almonds,” Zach declared, smiling at the girl’s complete fascination with the treat. “Fresh from the bakery.”
“Thank you, Zach!” Abigail cried, throwing her arms around him.
Zach returned the embrace. “Happy Solstice, Abby.” The two parted and Zach gave her an affectionate pat on the head. “I have to talk to your father, so you should probably run along, okay?”
Abigail smiled and gave a nod, almost skipping up the staircase with her new bag of treats in hand.
“And don’t go eating all those almonds at once!”
“You shouldn’t have given her the whole bag then.”
Zach turned and saw Gavan walking down the opposite hallway.
“Mr. Weisman!” Zach stammered. “Er… how long have you been there?”
Gavan gave him a warm smile. “Long enough,” he replied, glancing up towards the staircase. “I hope you didn’t feel obliged with giving those to Abigail. You’ve helped me enough as is.”
“Don’t worry about it, sir,” Zach assured. He patted his satchel. “This is your gift to her. That one was mine.”
Gavan raised an eyebrow, but quickly settled back into another smile. “Then come on. We can speak privately in my office and you can show me my gift.”
The two made their way towards a secluded room at the back of the house. Gavan shut the door behind them as Zach took a seat in front of the large desk that marked the center of the room. Once more resting his satchel on his lap, Zach pulled out the music box and set it on the desk.
Gavan sat down in the leather upholstered chair behind the desk and took hold of the box. Giving the crank a few turns, he gave a sigh of relief when he heard music ring through the brass grates.
“It seems I truly did come to the right person for the job,” Gavan chuckled as he set the box back down. “I can’t thank you enough for assisting with this.”
“It’s no problem, sir,” Zach said. “It was a good test of my skills.”
“That’s a good attitude, lad. Still, I’d like to compensate you for your trouble.”
Gavan opened one of the desk drawers and produced a small coin bag which he tossed to Zach.
Zach caught the bag and slipped the drawstring open to peer inside. “Um… sir,” he said, staring at the bag’s contents. “You did count how much was in here, right?”
“Of course, I did,” Gavan replied. If Zach had looked up, he would have seen a look of pure amusement on the man’s face. “I thought that would be fair compensation for your work.”
“But sir… um… not to sound ungrateful, but this is a fair sight more than what we’d typically charge for a simple repair job.”
Gavan simply shrugged. “I factored in it being a last-minute job as well as right before the holiday. I believe that deserves a little extra pay, wouldn’t you agree?”
Zach opened his mouth, intending to point out how his and Gavan’s respective definitions of a little extra seemed quite different. He finally looked up from the coin bag and saw with one look that Gavan Weisman was not going to change his mind. So instead, Zach closed his mouth and stowed the bag away in his satchel.
“Thank you, sir.”
“No thanks needed, lad. You earned every coin in there as far as I’m concerned. Now,” Gavan leaned back in his chair. “I do believe that I’ve taken up enough of your time for one Solstice and the Cullens are likely to be waiting for you back home, no?”
Zach gave a short bow. “Happy Solstice, sir.”
“Happy Solstice, lad.”
Zach left the Weisman home and walked down the street, a noticeable spring in his step. His list of tasks was officially complete. His purse was a good bit heavier, more than he had expected for the job. Best of all, Zach had the rest of the Solstice to himself.
All that was left was one question.
Zach peered up and down the street, not a soul in sight. “Where can I get a carriage home?” he wondered aloud.

Chapter 3
Evening, Solstice Night
The Cullen home was as warm as their forge with Solstice cheer. Zach and the family sat around the dining table, passing jokes and plates in equal measure.
They had all Exchanged their gifts prior to sitting down and Victor Cullen had been proud to see what his sons had brought to the fore. Morgan had fashioned a folding knife for Zach, complete with a set of oiled wood scales and a Damascus blade. Zach knew forging the blade alone must have required a considerable amount of time in the shop. At least now he understood why Morgan had been so occupied at the anvil lately.
Zach’s own gift had received a similarly warm reception. Patricia had even insisted on using it as a center piece for the dinner despite the gearbox blocking a portion of the candlelight. No one seemed to mind, though, and Zach appreciated being able to finally see the device is use. The flicker of the candle flame reflecting brightly off the ticking brass and silver gears of the mechanism behind it, contrasting with the dark stain he had applied to wooden base.
Victor and Patricia had their gifts for each other as well. Victor had given his wife a small silver pendant with an engraved flower twisting around it while Patricia presented a framed illustration she had made of the family.
Though he knew the last gift hadn’t been for him, Zach had smiled when he saw himself depicted alongside the Cullens.
Just as everyone had filled their plate and began to dine on their meal, a knock came from the front door. Victor laid his fork and knife down and went to go answer.
“Zach,” he called a moment later. “Come here please.”
Zach rose from the table, but not before exchanging curious looks with Morgan and Patricia. His curiosity grew into bewilderment as he walked out of the dining room and saw Gavan and Abigail standing on the home’s threshold, the latter with a small bag in her arms. He glanced at Victor, but the Cullen patriarch seemed as at a loss as he was.
“Mr. Weissman,” Zach said as he walked up. “Don’t tell me the music box broke again.”
“The box is fine, lad,” Gavan replied. “I apologize for coming by unannounced, but Abigail has something she’d like to give you.”
Zach peered down towards the girl and saw her holding up her bag. “That’s very sweet of you, Abby,” he said, crouching down to accept her present. “But what brought this on? You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I wanted to thank you for the almonds you gave me,” Abigail said. “So I made you a batch of cookies myself. Just like you do for your exchange of… What did you say it was called, papa?”
“Exchange of Creations?” Victor answered, speaking up for the first time since Zach had arrived. He raised an eyebrow at the little girl and her father.
Gavan chuckled. “Zach told me about the tradition when I was by your shop yesterday,” he explained. “I mentioned it to Abigail and, well, she seemed to take right to the idea.”
“Glenda’s been giving me lessons,” Abigail exclaimed. She puffed out her chest. “These are the best I’ve made so far!”
Zach gave a small laugh as he opened the bag and fished out one of the cookies. He bit into it and froze, his brain instantly registering how toothachingly sweet the treat was. The sweetness was immediately followed by a salty wave that his tastebuds cried in protest at.
“Do you like it?” Abigail said, looking at the boy in earnest anticipation.
Zach swallowed and put on the best smile he could muster. “It’s delicious,” he said. “So… how long have you been taking these lessons, anyway?”
“Since yesterday,” Abigail beamed with the most innocent look in the world on her face. “Mama and papa said the same thing when I asked them to try some.”
Zach glanced up at Gavan, who merely gave him a sympathetic look.
“Well it was very sweet of you to make those for him,” Victor spoke up, thankfully before Abigail could ask Zach to try more. “But I’m sure you two have your own Solstice to ger back to.”
“That we do,” Gavan agreed. “We were on our way to a Solstice party a friend of ours is throwing, as a matter of fact. Speaking of, I believe we’ve kept mama waiting in the carriage long enough, Abigail.”
Abigail nodded and turned one last time to Zach and Victor. “Bye, Zach,” she sang with a wave. “Happy Solstice!”
“Happy Solstice,” Zach returned as Victor shut the door.
With Abigail out of sight, Zach looked down at what was left of the cookie in his hand. Knowing what to expect this time, he took another bite only to bristle at the taste again.
“You’re not going to try and go through that whole bag, are you?” Victor remarked, seeing Zach’s reaction.
Zach grimaced. The simple answer was an honest no. He was touched that Abigail made something for him, but there was no way he could force himself to eat the whole batch.
“Well,” Zach finally said. “Only one thing to do with them, I guess.” He turned and headed back into the dining room.
“Morgan, want a cookie?”

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Author's Notes:
This is my first attempt at a holiday story as well as my first outing with these characters. I've been recovering from burn out since the summer and writing this was a great way for me to get back into the swing of things. I've been tooling around with the characters and world of Vestria for a couple years now and it feels so good to finally put a story to page.
While Vestria is still one big work in progress, a lot of what I put in here should still track with what I have for the main story.
Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!