In the cobbled alleys of Caelondell, where gaslights flickered like sleepy fireflies and the rooftops caught the last blush of twilight, there lived a girl named Elira. She wasn’t like the others in the village—her ears pointed like crescent moons, and her eyes shimmered with galaxies that hadn't yet been named.

Elira was an apprentice starwatcher by night and a quiet baker’s daughter by morning. Her days were filled with kneading dough, her nights with stargazing, but tonight—tonight was different.

Clutched gently in her gloved hands was a small heart-shaped box, wrapped with meticulous care. It was filled not with chocolates, but with stories—tiny, folded parchment pieces scrawled with words of affection, memories she treasured, and a few doodled constellations she'd named after someone special.

That someone was Kael, a wandering scholar who came to Caelondell every winter to study the movements of the stars. He had a laugh like wind chimes and hands always smudged with ink. Over cups of mulled cider, they'd spoken of dreams, regrets, and the kind of magic that lived in ordinary things—like lanterns and scarves and names said softly under a night sky.

Tonight, under that same familiar sky, Elira waited in the glow of the lamplight, heart pounding against her ribs. The box she held wasn’t just a gift—it was a question. One she’d never dared to ask aloud until now.

When Kael finally turned the corner, frost in his beard and curiosity in his eyes, Elira smiled.

“Happy Winter’s Eve,” she said, extending the box.

He took it, and their fingers brushed.

And the stars, always watching, blinked a little brighter that night.

Hey guys, im sorry for not posting anything in a while, ive been busy, but now im ready