"I don't get it!"
"What?"
"What's the point of all this celebration!"
"No, not again, Veeti! Not when your cousin is visiting our new house for the first time. And she's too young for that talk."
"No, Satu, she's not. It's not like the old times. Every one of us has to grow faster now."
"Hey! I'm here!" Ensi stood up, making Laine jump from her lap. His protest for being so unceremoniously pushed away came in a long series of meows, followed by a fast exit from the room. "Sorry, Laine!"
A small but heavily loaded boat had just passed by them, heading to the town center, making the yacht's deck rock gently. That didn't affect the slightest Ensi's graceful movement as she moved closer to Veeti. Being raised on a boat, she thought, had its advantages.
"I don't like when you adults talk about me as if I'm not listening. Nonetheless, Veeti's right on one thing: I'm not a child anymore."
It was Satu's time to stand up. "Fine! Talk as much as you like. You don't know, Ensi, but your cousin has been complaining about the celebration all the week, which means that I had to listen to it the whole time while we moved our things. So, talk, and I'll fix something for us to eat."
Ensi observed as Satu, without looking at Veeti, went downstairs to the cabin. "I like her. I hope you're not being a jerk every day since the wedding."
Satu's voice came from within the cabin. "He is!"
"Well, that answers it, I suppose. Now, what's your problem with the celebration? You think just you, olders, has, or had, the right to celebrate?"
"You know, it's a bit unpleasant to be called an older when I'm just 24, but since you're little more than a child I'll try to ex..."
A furious Ensi jumped and grabbed Veeti's jacket with both hands. "I'm NOT a child!"
"Hey! Calm down! Right, you're not a child. Can you let go my jacket, please?"
Ensi backed away and sat on the boat's rail. "Sorry Veeti. I didn't want to... You know. Sorry."
"Fine cousin, but you must learn to think twice. You have been acting strange these last days. Your mother was talking to mine about that on Sunday." He smiled, and Ensi felt deeply ashamed. She always loved Veeti. He was her only cousin and the closest thing she ever had to a brother, always teaching her things, and letting her borrow his books.
"Sorry for calling you older."
"No problem. I can imagine how strange older people must sound sometimes for you, PRs."
Being put inside a category irritated Ensi again. Even if it was merely a time-based one. Yes, she was a PR, a Post-Rash child, nevertheless she didn't enjoy being in the same box with dumb boys like Jaakko or Makari. But this time she managed to keep calm, allowing Veeti to continue.
"My problem with this whole celebration... Well, look around. We're barely surviving here. I guess you're old enough to hear a few ugly truths. We are rationing medicines, Ensi, trying to have enough for really old people, and yet they are dying because we can't take care of them properly."
Ensi just nodded, remembering mister Seeli, the old teacher that previously owned the Margareta and passed away last Summer, without anyone understanding why.
"And lately few people have been arriving. Actually our numbers have been slowing dwindling in the last two years. Do you understand what that means?"
She nodded again.
"Damn, I feel like I was transported to some post-apocalyptic novel! You know, the ones many people enjoyed before the real apocalypse fell on our heads." Veeti sat on the chair border, looking at her. "Anyway, what matters now is that we are expending resources when we shouldn't. And we lived twelve winters without Christmas, Yule or whatever you wanna call it. I see no reason to celebrate. It's foolish!"
Ensi was about to talk, but a sudden pain on her belly stopped her. There must be something she ate yesterday.
Veeti squinted at her. "Are you okay, cuz?"
"Fine... I'm fine. Something on yesterday's dinner didn't like me and is kicking back, as if it wanted to pop out of my belly. I should go home."
Veeti smiled. "Remember me to tell you about the "Alien" movie one of these days, ok?"
"I will, I will." She didn't understand what he was talking about, but Veeti's conversations were always interesting. Even being young he was, after all, an older, a person that lived in the old World, before the Rash and all the madness. "I'm not hungry, anyway. Bye, cous, BYE SATU! Thanks!"
She didn't wait for an answer, boarded the kayak and started to paddle, heading South.

---

It took her a while. Not only because Veeti's new home, the Margareta, was anchored on the North side of town, while Ensi's, and Veeti's former home, the Lumilintu, was on the other side, near the South gate, but also due to that growing pain on her belly.
Using that time time to think about what Veeti told, she decided to go to the party anyway. It would be a great thing, Ensi imagined, considering that almost everybody would be there. She also saw the large pile of wood and straw set to become a large bonfire over the Saimaa's main deck, that acted as the town center, and imagined how amazing it would be.
It was already dark when Ensi arrived at the only home she ever knew. Maybe one day, if she married like Veeti and Satu, the council would grant her a small but comfortable yacht like the Margareta, or maybe they would start to build homes on land, at Eteissaaret and Inkosaari... Her thoughts were interrupted by an irritating noise, and she realized it's been growing on her ears for some time.
"If this keeps going on I'll have to see a doctor tomorrow." She muttered while heading to the bathroom.
There was a note on the cabin's door.


Ensi was barely able to read the note, between the pain on her belly and the noise. She ran to the bathroom and sat on the toilet, carelessly playing with the colourful cube Veeti had given her on the previous birthday. It was pretty, but after months she still haven't managed to solve more than one face. After some time she put it back on the shelf. "I will solve you, little head-breaker, but not today."
Then she felt something... strange, and checked the toilet.
"Oh! What the hell!!!"
All that blood scared her badly, and she almost panicked... But then she remembered another thing.
She sat back on the toilet and took a deep breath. No, she wasn't going to die, and all she have been feeling now made sense. Well, all but that noise, that seemed to get louder all the time.
"What a day, period!" Ensi spoke looking down at herself. "Couldn't you wait a few more days so I could enjoy the party without worries?"
Luckily her mother had explained it all, also showing what to do and where all the things she needed were stored. She would be fine if it wasn't for that noise! And the worst was that it sounded more and more like words from some unknown language.

---

A fluffy ball of black fur was waiting for her outside the bathroom. "Oh, Kukka! I bet you're hungry! And so am I!" She went to the small kitchen to find something to eat.
"Kukka, do you remember mom speaking anything about strange noises or words when we have our first period?" She could swear the cat moved her head sideways, as if saying no. "Well, neither do I. Perhaps  we will have to see a doctor after all... Now, let's find out where they are."
Ensi felt tired as she climbed the stairs to the upper deck, where uncle Eino's binoculars waited on a small box. She pointed to the South gate, noticing how dark it already was, despite being still early. Surprisingly she could see Kukka next to her feet quite well, while usually she was almost invisible in the dark, as Ensi learned after tripping over the cat several times.
"There they are!" She could see mom and Aunt Kaino holding lanterns while her dad held a pole and Uncle Eino hammered something to it. Meanwhile the strange noise grew even louder. It wasn't her imagination!
She tried to locate where the sound originated and, to her horror, finally saw the source. A troll, and a big one! But how, on Winter? However looking attentively the awful thing seemed covered in fur. Ensi could see long arms that ended on threatening claws, a large, barrel like body and twisted, misshapen legs. Those didn't prevent it, however, to be moving steadily towards her family!
"MOM! DAD!" She shouted, again and again, but they were too far to hear. If at least they had a radio... But those were restricted to missions away from the lake to save the few working batteries they still had.
On the box where she found the binocular there was also a flare pistol. She could use it to alert them, but might also distract them, and the troll was getting too close. There was no one else around to ask for help, and she had to think fast or risk loosing her family!
Then she noticed another, larger box, and suddenly knew what to do.
Seconds later Eino's hunting rifle felt heavy on her hands, but also comfortably solid. She was so glad for the time she spent observing carefully how he used it! Ensi loaded and armed the weapon, always observing the troll coming closer. "Why can I see it while they don't, Kukka? What's going on?"
"Meow!"
"Well, that doesn't help much." She pointed the barrel to the troll and tried to fix it on the crosshairs, just to find that the scope greatly amplified the boat's movement. A gentle breeze was blowing from East across the lake, creating a light swell. Usually Ensi wouldn't even notice it, but it was enough to ruin all her attempts to get a sure shot. And a bad one could scare the troll, making it run towards her family!
And to make things worse, she could see that her mom was walking and getting even closer to danger! She had to find a way, but nothing came to mind except praying, and so she started to sing.

Vellamo veden emonen           Vellamo, water mother
Vallanpitäjä vesien                 Ruler of waters!
Tule tytölle tueksi                  Please, support your daughter
Pololle pelastajaksi                Save this poor wretch

Vellamo veden emonen           Vellamo, water mother
Antaja aavan aaltojen             Who give us the great waves
Tyynnyttele tuuliasi                Whisper to your winds
Tasottele tyrskyjäsi                Smoothen your surge

Vellamo veden emonen           Vellamo, water mother
Valtiatar vaahtopäiden            Mistress of whitecaps
Asettele aaltojasi                   Let your waves wane
Laineesi lakoon lakase!           Sweep down your swell!

Ensi put her finger on the trigger. There wasn't any time left. "Vellamo, and any god that may be around, steady my hand."
She looked through the scope, and found the swell was gone. The water around the Lumilintu had a faint blue glow, as if the moon was shining under the hull. Ensi paused her breathing, bit her lower lip, put the troll's head on the cross-hairs and gently pulled the trigger.

---

"Girl, I don't know how you did it, but that was the best shot I've ever seen from a boat! Right on the head of that thing!"
"Thanks, uncle Eino! But I'm not a girl, not anymore." And Ensi looked at her mom, standing by her side. "Not in any way."
Aino stared at her for a few seconds and then nodded. "I agree. Our Ensi is no longer a girl. And the proof is that she saved us."
Eino looked at her. "Yes, you're right." He took the rifle and put it on the table, right in front of Ensi. "I've never been really good with this. But you, young woman, are awesome. I'll stay with my old shotgun, and this one is yours." He smiled at her. "It's a fine weapon. Treat it well, and some grandchild of yours might still use it one day."
Kaino put a hand over Ensi's shoulder. "So, Eino, did I hear right? You're offering a rifle to a 12 years-old gir... I mean, woman? Don't you think it's a bit early?"
Eino put on an offended face. "Hey, I meant that it's hers, not that she can start walking around with it right now." He winked at Ensi. "But I'll teach her, and given some time I'm sure she will."
"Now that you finished giving a gun to my daughter, can we go? We have a celebration tonight, remember?" Aino looked around. "Where's Saku?"
"Dad's outside, mom. Waiting for us."
"He's okay? Not back at the old times, I hope. Not dying from something."
"He was fine. Just wanted some fresh air."
At that moment Saku showed up at the cabin's door. "Aino! Ensi! Let's go! Time to join the others."
Ensi ran and took the rope, ready to set the small boat free, when Aino called them. "Wait! Come here, both of you. Watch this."
She was standing still on the deck, facing North, towards the cluster of boats gathered around the Saimaa. On the middle of the large ship's deck, the bonfire Ensi saw earlier had been lightened. Higher, over the bridge, many cables stretched around the ship's antenna making a cone where hundreds of colourful lamps shone, like some magical arrow pointing at the sky.
Many other boats also had lights, dozens and dozens of lamps, lanterns, bonfires, spread as far as they could see over the lake's water, that remained perfectly still.
There was no wind and no swell, turning the lake's surface into a giant mirror that reflected everything, duplicating the breathtaking spectacle.
Aino put one arm around Ensi's back, and the other around Saku, and they stayed silent for a while, watching the illuminated floating town. Up in the sky the northern lights danced over the whole scene, and, thanks to the reflection, also on the deeps below.
Ensi could swear that among those lights dancing in the water she could also see the silhouette of a woman. Her long hair and even longer dress where made of blue light, mixed with the greenish undulation that filled the sky. She seemed to wave to Ensi, and a soft wind came, raising a light swell that replaced the perfect reflection by a million sparkling dots of light.
The cold breeze prickled her face, and she felt like waking from a dream. She would have to think on all that happened, but that could wait for tomorrow. They had a party to attend, after all. But before that there was a question she needed to ask.
"Mom, after all that happened, and is still happening, what are we celebrating after all? Christmas, Yule, the Winter Solstice...What's the meaning of all this?"
"Oh, my dear, don't you know? Just as Spring comes after each Winter, so we get up again after each fall. We mourn our losses, bad as they are, yet raise our heads and cherish the smallest win." Aino took a deep breath. "We have been talking about all this on the Council, and came to the conclusion that's time for us to light our fires and dance in the longest night."
Ensi looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, and briefly all tiredness from those hard years was gone from her face.
"This is the spirit that makes life worth living, that pushes us ahead. The ways to celebrate are many, but the spirit is the same. Tonight we celebrate hope."

 
thegreyarea's notes: Many special thanks to my dear Jitter for providing that awesome prayer/song.
My apologies for any mistake. There was not enough time to have it proofread. 

(Mod's note: I got your back, grey, although there was very little to do.)