Soft dawn light filtered through the gap in the attic skylight, greeting Arka's eyelids with just the right warmth. The flutter of morning birds' wings and the soft creak of pine branches brushed by the wind made for the most peaceful natural alarm clock he had ever experienced.
Arka slowly opened his eyes and drew a deep breath. The morning air of Velvetide felt so clean, cool, and refreshing in his lungs. He pushed aside his brown knitted blanket, crawled toward the glass skylight, and looked outside. Below, the surface of Glass Lake was covered in a thin layer of silvery-white mist floating peacefully over the water, reflecting the golden-pink glow of the sun that had just risen on the eastern horizon.
From downstairs, the fragrant scent of freshly steeped dried tea leaves drifted upward, mingling with the natural fragrance of damp pinewood. Arka carefully tidied his bedding, put his brown jacket back on, then walked down the softly creaking wooden stairs toward the cabin's main room.
Near the stone hearth, the silver-haired old man was turning several oblong, silvery-white foodstuffs over a thick iron grill set directly above the glowing red coals. His friendly smile instantly spread when he saw Arka approaching.
"Good morning, Wanderer," the old man greeted him warmly. "Did you sleep well?" "Very well, sir. Thank you so much," Arka replied sincerely as he approached the hearth. "That sweet aroma is so unique. What are you grilling?" The old man chuckled softly as he shifted the iron grill slightly with a wooden pair of tongs. "This is Snow Yam. A rare endemic plant that can only be harvested on the lower slopes when Velvetide arrives. Its skin is pure white, as if covered in a thin layer of ice, but once grilled, the inside melts into a silky softness with a natural sweetness scented with butter and caramel."
Arka gazed at the white yams in wonder. As the heat of the coals reached them, the skins of the Snow Yams slowly split, releasing golden caramel that dripped onto the stone embers and spread a mouthwatering sweet-and-savory aroma. "May I help turn them, sir?" Arka offered eagerly, wanting to experience the warmth of this simple cooking process firsthand on such a peaceful morning.
"Of course, son. Use these wooden tongs. Turn them slowly so the sweet filling inside cooks evenly," the old man replied as he handed over a pair of handmade wooden tongs.
Arka accepted the wooden tongs carefully. He knelt at ease beside the stone hearth, feeling the fire's warm glow sweep across his face amid the chill of the morning air. With practiced, unhurried movements, Arka turned each Snow Yam one by one with just the right amount of care.
Sizzle...
The soft hiss of the yam's melted filling touching the coals spread the increasingly rich fragrance of natural butter throughout the wooden cabin. "Your hands are very calm and precise, son," the old man praised him, holding out an old earthenware plate lined with dried cinnamon leaves. "There, lift them onto the plate. These grilled Snow Yams are best enjoyed warm with handcrafted tea from the upper slopes."
Arka lifted the perfectly cooked grilled Snow Yams onto the earthenware plate. The old man drizzled a little wild forest honey over them as a finishing touch. Thin steam carrying a sweet-and-savory aroma rose from the plate, creating a breakfast scene that was both beautiful and tempting.
The two of them then carried the earthenware plate of the rare dish and two cups of tea out to the cabin's veranda, where they sat back and stretched their legs at the edge of the wooden dock facing Glass Lake. The thin mist over the water slowly parted beneath the greeting rays of the morning sun. As he took in the incomparable beauty of Velvetide's natural world, Arka picked up a piece of the warm Snow Yam, gently split it open, and tasted it.
The yam's flesh was so soft and melty that it instantly delighted his tongue. Its natural sweet-and-savory flavor, blended with the aroma of grilled butter and the warmth of forest honey, slipped gently down his throat. The taste was truly unique, yet deeply magical and soothing. "This... is so delicious, sir," Arka whispered in awe as he sipped his hot tea. "I never imagined a yam could have a texture this soft."
The old man smiled serenely as he gazed at the glittering expanse of lake water. "That's the magic of Velvetide. Nature always knows how to offer its finest warmth to anyone willing to slow down and savor the process."
At the edge of that peaceful lake, accompanied by a rare Snow Yam dish and a refreshing cup of tea, Arka enjoyed every second of his first morning at Glass Lake with a heart filled with perfect peace.