Toivo always gave her gifts and so Idania wanted to find the best thing for him in return. It was a season of gift giving and while she had given him a blanket at the harvest festival the girl wanted to give him something more for the winter solstice. This time instead of just a simple item she wanted to figure out something more meaningful, more personal to the older leaf man who had changed her life earlier this year. He had given her Aasim and taught her that she could find a way to be independent, to maybe travel the world one day instead of solely hiding here at the tavern forever under her aunt’s jurisdiction. He was a hunter, an adventurer who had decided to spend his retirement at the tavern while rekindling his relationship with her aunt and helping to take care of the daughter left behind by his best friend. Idania had grown close to him and definitely did not want to miss this opportunity to show more of her appreciation towards him. But what did she get him? What could she get him? She was not a cook so she couldn’t make sweets like others did or even anything remotely like a stew or bread like her aunt made all the time. She also could not craft save for the blankets she twisted together out of yarn and wool, the knots guiding her while she was blind to the actual design and colors of the blankets. At least she knew that they were comfortable and warm, the long material keeping her covered at night and fighting against the bitter cold of winter as it slowly crept across Tale.

And to think that she had first encountered him by blindly sitting on him outside of the tavern! Idania still chuckled at the memory of her reunion with Toivo as he reintroduced himself as the man she once called “Vo-Vo” when she was a youngling. Even back then she was receiving gifts from him that she would treasure as he had given her the wooden animals that she had used to learn about the world while growing up. Since Idania could not see the creatures for herself the girl had felt the edges of the wooden figures until they were worn down, the traced outlines the only thing to help her create pictures in her mind of the animals and flowers that existed in their world. Not that she thought she could simply give him wooden toys in return, but the girl still did have the treasured pieces of her childhood tucked away on a shelf in her room at the tavern.

Her aunt had even thrown a pan at him that day if she recalled correctly. Whatever relationship Toivo had with her aunt seemed a bit chaotic at times, the heat between the two constantly confusing her between the playful jests and the arguments, especially those concerning the tavern and sometimes even her. Still, it seemed they did care about one another despite their differences and Idania was thankful that her aunt allowed Toivo to stay and help out at the tavern. Now the only question was what would Toivo like? Idania chewed thoughtfully at her bottom lip before realizing something that she could do. She was a musician after all…so why not make a melody specifically for him? A small smile crossed her lips at the thought. That could work! If there was one thing that she was confident in it was her music! She could write a melody with or without lyrics, almost like a theme for Toivo, and play it for him during the solstice! Perhaps she could also ask one of the regulars to pick out a good hunting knife for the adventurer that she could give him as well. Idania nodded eagerly as she quickly started to tap out a melody along the wood, her mind already thinking about which instrument she should pick and how the music should go. It would have to be something lively of course! He was also so full of energy and so his song definitely had to reflect that! It would be the perfect gift for Toivo, at least that was Idania’s hope! “Now to just have it finished within a month….I want it to be finished by the solstice.” She commented to Aasim who nudged her before plopping on the bed, the feline once more curling up for an afternoon nap while Idania worked on her gift for Toivo.

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