Seasons Council – A Winter Ruse

by Reshmi Thampy

The author, technically and chronologically a grown-up, wrote to us that she wrote this for children because she too, is a child-at-heart. 🙂 This is to all the children we shall always be!

Preface

It’s 2025, and I’m no longer at university. It’s been a while since I last met my friends in person, but we’ve held on to each other through letters, emails, messages, and calls. As aspiring writers, one of my friends shared a prompt in our WhatsApp group of three:

“October chill was spreading fast, and so were the rumours of the missing group of three…”

This is a story written for children, and adults, for everyone needs some magic in their lives. I sure hope you guys find all the sciencey Easter eggs. And hey! My friends and I are included as well 😉

As someone who loves fantasy, I couldn’t help but come up with one. I’ve started many stories in the past, but this is the only one that ever found its ending—and it is because I had my lovely friends as readers.

October chill was spreading fast, and so were the rumours of the missing group of three. 

The rainy season had passed without a single drop of rain gracing the leaves. Spring passed without a bloom and Autumn passed without shaking down a leaf. Without the seasons’ changing, much of the year went by as boring months of drawn-out summer and winter. The gift of life, Sprout called for an emergency meeting. 

Soon the glorious hall was full of spirits, making the once-empty chamber brim with chatter.  

QUIET!! Sounded Boom, the voice of thunder. 

“Why have you called us here, your majesty?”, asked Sage in a soothing manner.

Sprout shook its head as if readying itself to deliver unpleasant news.

“As you are all aware,  the cycle of seasons has been disrupted. The humans have started complaining. More trees are being felled- to provide firewood for winter and for shelter in summer. Bees no longer have flowers to pollinate and make honeycombs. Rivers are drying up. The life on earth as we know is dying”. Sprout looked up at his leaves, which showed an unhealthy spotting of yellow.

“For the past few months, Wispy,  Bloom, and Dewy have been missing.” 

Hushed murmurs went up in the hall after this announcement. The spirits looked at each other confused.

“But Your Majesty, we were told that they were on an extended vacation,” said Bolt, who was much faster than others when it came to scandalous matters.

“It was a cover-up.” gasps sounded across the hall.

“Those spirits can rarely rest. Even when the rains are over, Dewy has to form dews on plants, reducing their water loss. He has to make rainbows with Myriad, for unicorns to walk down to earth and visit good children. But this rainy season passed without a single rain, and the drought has been causing misery. Wispy is responsible for carrying stories and information for migratory birds- they no longer know when or where to migrate. There is not a single kite up in the sky. Poets no longer find inspiration in the form of whispers from far-off lands. Wispy is supposed to carry seeds that are too heavy for the bees. But Bloom is no longer around to open flowers. She is responsible for the well-being of bees, and for keeping the beauty on earth. Now she is not around, and it’s depressing. There are no fruits or grains for the animals to eat. All these months, I had entrusted Ray with the singular task of finding those three. Ray shall arrive any moment to deliver his report on the matter.”

Murmurs went up in the crowd once again, with theories on what might have happened to the three. Each is more unlikely than the one before.

“Maybe they got tired of dealing with all the pollution again and again and simply gave up,” said Ozone with black circles under her eyes.

“Maybe they are on vacation, and fell asleep,” said Slumber, who returned from visiting sloths.

Suddenly Ray shined into the hall. “Your Majesty”, said he bending respectfully.

“I have been the bearer of unpleasant news till now, Ray. I hope you can shine some light on this dreadful situation we are in.”

“I apologize your majesty. I have traveled all the latitudes and longitudes of earth, trying to find those three, and haven’t been able to locate them. I shined more brightly in some places, trying to find them in nooks and corners, while hearing curses from poor humans, but to no avail. My months of search from up from have been futile” said Ray, dejectedly.

Sprout shook its leaves again, disappointed.

“Your majesty, if I may speak?”, said Bolt.

“Go on”.

“Your majesty, maybe they are in some place Ray cannot travel to?”

“Nonsense. There is no place on earth that Ray cannot travel to”

“What if it’s somewhere underground?”

I would have known- said Magmamimus.

“Maybe not that underground?” asked Bolt sheepishly.

“The earthworms would have told me,” said Sprout.

“Your majesty”, said Blaze, who always has the best gossip. “If I may ask, where is Brumal?” 

“He is preparing ahead for the winter season. It will be long, and he has to count all the bears he and Slumber will have to send to hibernation this year. But why did you ask about him in particular?”

“Your majesty, I’m aware it’s not right to make accusations without solid evidence, but I suspect that Brumal is behind the mysterious disappearance of those three.”

“What is the reason behind such a serious accusation?”

“Brumal was always angry at how people celebrated the end of winter. At our informal gatherings, he would always say icicles and snowflakes are the prettiest things to exist, winter fashion is the best look on humans, rainbows are dumb and Myriad should help him throw kaleidoscopes with snowflakes. He would say things like he gives the best things for humans because he helps them have bonfires and rest after a hectic summer.”

“These are outrageous comments indeed, Tide. This court doesn’t allow any seasonal spirit to judge themselves as above or below another.  But it still doesn’t prove that Brumal kidnapped them”.

“Your majesty”, Tide rose with the help of Lune. “Your majesty, recently, Brumal has been making suspiciously early visits to Alaska, sometimes with Floe, the ice spirit. As we all know, Ray cannot visit Alaska for months.”

All eyes turned towards Floe, who was sweating in her seat. A pool of water formed around her feet “Whew, it’s hot here. I don’t know anything about it, your majesty” said Floe, looking anywhere but at Sprout.

Ray chose this moment to travel to where she was sitting. “You better make it fast, or I will make sure that you join Mist in her duties”

“Please don’t vaporise me! You have to understand Your Majesty!, it was all because he said he wouldn’t allow me to make icicles or snowflakes anymore in winter. You know how humans adore snowflakes! I couldn’t possibly give up on snowflakes!.”

“Enough. Tell us where you hid them”  yelled Blaze, losing his patience.

“They are in Alaska.  Behind an ice sheet so thick and filled with crystals that Ray won’t be able to shine through it”.

“Ha. My guess was right” said Blaze, pleased with himself.

“Ray, Tide, and Lune leave with Floe right now and rescue them. Blaze, send word to Slumber that he is to bring Brumal to me” ordered Sprout, heaving slightly.

“The rest of you shall leave the hall”. Sprout said to the other spirits with a nod. 

“But your majesty!”, the other spirits started to protest. 

“Brumal must not be allowed to bring in Winter anymore!”.

“And how will the Bears rest? How will humans get relief from the summer heat? No matter how much winter is dislikable, he is needed”.

Slumber came with Brumal as the other spirits started leaving. They were sending him accusatory glares.

“Your majesty. You sent a word for me?” asked Brumal, shuddering slightly. 

“Brumal,  I’m sure you are already aware of your crimes. May I ask why you did it?”

“I’m so sorry Your Majesty! I never meant to harm life on Earth in any manner. I really thought summer and winter were enough for the humans and other life on earth” said Brumal sobbing.

“Why did you do it?” asked Sprout calmly.

“I was jealous, Your majesty. Bloom opens flowers in spring, autumn, and summer, but not winter. Wispy is welcomed by everyone.  People look up to the rainbows that Dewy put out, and they are sad when they leave. But no matter how many snowflakes and icicles I make, how many bears I help to rest, they still celebrate when I leave.”

“I see, Brumal. You should have approached me with your concerns earlier. They do not justify your actions in any manner. You shall be punished”

“I’m sorry Your Majesty! This shall never happen again. Please leave my punishment until after winter. So that the bears get their rest and humans get snow as some relief from the drought.”

“No. Your punishment is that you will have to work more with the other spirits. You shall work with Bloom and Floe to make frostflowers. With Wispy, take snow to places out of your range and provide them relief from the heat. With Dewy, Ray, and Myriad to make rainbows in winter.”

Brumal looked up with astonishment and undisguised joy in his face.

“But, as an actual punishment, Humans shall curse you more for the frozen raindrops called Hail. Is that okay, Dewy, Wispy, and Bloom?”

“Yes it is, Your Majesty,” they said in unison.

Brumal whirled around to see Wispy, Ray, Bloom, and Dewy.

“I’m so sorry guys. I didn’t want people to hate me”

“It’s okay, Brumal, we are at fault too for not having noticed that you were hurting,” said Bloom softly.

“Now let’s leave this behind, and work to fix this,” said Ray.

In time, the seasons returned, and there were more celebrations in Winter. Winter was as harsh as ever with hail destroying their roofs, but humans started to miss winter more, especially winter fashion, now that it was inspired by the colours of the rainbow, the flowers that Bloom put out, the tiny frozen droplets decorating the trees that Dewy made, and the inspiration that Wispy gave. And once again, all was well on Earth.

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