[SE] dashing through the snow

Maea

I feel it in the wind, my dear
The sun is gonna reappear

Listening with rapt attention to the unfolding tale, Maea was too engaged and too busy rubbing her arms against the cold to pay much attention to the stranger, at least until the farmer brought the conversation back to him. Her eyes widened with surprise at the revelation who it was, then a wide smile spread across her face.

"Hadama! Of course. Come in. And you dealt with the firewood for me - that's too much, you really didn't have to." Holding the door open wider to let her friend inside, she smiled at Merles too. "And what about you, would you like to come in for something warm after all your hard work? I can't thank you enough for the wood..."

Past a narrow foyer where a an inbuilt flight of stairs spiralled up towards the loft, the kitchen lay warm and inviting. Whitewashed walls and dark beams in the ceiling spoke of wear and age, and the thickness of the walls lent a sturdy, stubborn sense of imperviousness to the house. It was a neat space, small but well kept except for the mess Maea had left on the mismatched table and chairs. A fire crackled within the hearth, where a pot hung close enough to keep the contents warm.

Good days are gonna come along
Hold on, hold on!