Winterfair Gifts

This was a cute little novella about the days leading up to Miles and Ekaterin's wedding. It's told from the point of view of Armsman Roic, who has fallen slightly out of favor after the events of A Civil Campaign. Here he's given a chance to redeem himself by discovering and foiling a plot on Ekaterin's life with the help of Sergeant Taura.

It was a treat to see Taura again, and especially to see her attempting to fit in to Barrayaran culture. Armsman Roic's growing feelings for her are really sweet, as are his fumbling attempts to get in her good graces. Ultimately she's able to have it all: a week being treated like a fairy tale princess, an opportunity to save the day, and the attraction of a good man. I'm left wondering how long she'll live though. When she was first introduced, she was given a lifespan of maybe 20 years. Thanks to "medical advances" that's now been extended to 26 years, which is great. I love Taura and I certainly don't want her to die. But the longer she sticks around, the less sense her cavalier, live-in-the-present attitude makes. This seems like a great note for her to go out on.

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