[Orual]

Tamurilo

"It snowed! It snowed! It snowed!"

Eruvalde bounced madly on the bed, jolting her father into consciousness. "It snowed," she added, calming down a little when she saw Tamurilo's eyes open. She waited for a moment, and, when he made no sign of moving, she started jumping again, and pulling his arm. "Come on, Daddy! Help me put my coat on! 'Cause it snowed!"

Tamurilo sighed and sat up as Eruvalde bounced her way to the floor, and danced over to the drawer that contained her clothing. She took out her winter dress and slipped it on. Then she brought out her coat, and noticed that her father wasn't out of bed yet. She put it on the top of the dresser and put her hands on her hips. "Daddy," she said in a patient voice, as one speaks to a small child, "if you're just going to sit there, tell me. Because it's snowing outside and I want to go play in it, but you know I have a hard time putting my coat on. But I'll get somebody else to help me if you aren't going to."

Tamurilo bit back his laughter, because his young daugher was very serious. She looked quite the little adult, standing there scolding him: five going on thirty-five. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want you to have to bother someone else with the difficult and laborious task of putting on your coat for you, so come over here and I'll see what I can do, little mistress." With a look of satisfaction she flounced over to him and handed him her coat, and stuck her arms through it as he held it up. She turned around to face him.

"Do I look pretty, Daddy?" she asked, spinning around. Tamurilo smiled fondly at his golden-haired daughter.

"You look lovely, Ru. Now you go on outside, and I'll follow you. I've got to get all..."

"Bundled up," Eruvalde finished simultaneously with her father. She walked up to him and, putting her hands behind her back, tilted her head expectantly. He obligingly kissed her on the nose and patted her back before she left.

As she skipped out of the room he shook his head. "She'll be the death of me yet," he muttered as he went to put on clothes appropriate for the weather.

***

Eruvalde

The crisp winter air immediately put a flush in Eruvalde's cheeks. She stomped in the snow for a minute, relishing the feeling of the stuff beneath her boots. The happy cries of children drew her to a snowball fight that was in progress. With a cry of delight she joined the fray.

Packing the snow with her gloved hands Eruvalde started throwing it at the other children, and at the young man who had joined the game. She felt a sting of snow against her cheek, and, with another cry, ran full into the crowd.