Synopsis

The festive air clung to Elara, a bittersweet perfume of merriment and absence. Each carol felt like a pointed echo, each shared laugh a subtle reminder of what she lacked. The Wassailia celebrations, usually a balm for her quiet solitude, now felt like a sharp contrast. Everyone else seemed to have someone to share the joy with; a family, a friend, a hearth to return to. Elara found herself caught in a web of polite smiles and carefully constructed narratives, all designed to conceal the hollow