The Begining of the Wintylewds

	Looking out over the water, a young man sighed. He'd been coming back to this beach every night for a week, looking for a girl he'd seen once. Kicking a stone, he started walking back towards land, humming dejectedly. The cold spray whipped at his legs, and as he walked a haunting song came up.

	"Farewell to Brunswick dear, that sea-bound coast
	Let your mountains dark and dreary be.
	When I am far away on the briny ocean tossed
	Will you ever heave a sigh and a wish for me?"

	Turning slowly, the young man looked behind him, the haunting song stirring a warm memory in his chest. The waves pulled at him, each crash trying to draw him back to the watery embrace that called to him. Turning back, he looked out and saw someone. Her hair was faint, barely visable against the steel-gray sky except for the black bonnet cap it supported. Her red shortcoat stood out most, though still let him see her, and he gasped loudly.

	"Koln!" he yelled, breaking into a run. She didn't turn towards him, though- why would she? Last he'd seen, she was just a nymph in the mists, sailing along just off the beach. Still, he'd heard her name, learned it from one of the shipgirls in the town's bars and shops. One of the few girls of the Kriegmarine still making regular trans-Atlantic runs,instead of going out into the bloodbath that the Baltic was becoming. "Koln!"

	That's when he tripped. Years later, he didn't know if it was a cat, some loose stone, a pothole, or just fate. Sprawling forwards, he found hiimself on the ground, glasses skittering off his face. Closing his eyes for a minute, he sighed. Missed her again, gone into the mists. Fate, cruel fate, to give him a sight and to take her away-

	click-clack-click-clack

	"Hello?"

	Opening his eyes, the young man looked up. A nervous wraith stared out of the mists, her rim'd glasses reflecting him in the diffuse light. She nearly startled backwards as he moaned quietly, pushing himself out of the gravel road. Getting to his feet, he tried to apoligise for scaring her- right up until she saw the slow drip of blood from his cheek.

	"You're bleeding! Come with me!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and guiding him towards the nearest bar. She needed to get him bandaged up, after all.

---

	It was ten minutes later in the empty bar that the two sat facing each other, nursing beers. The young man was bandaged in a few places, while Koln was sighing and slumped in her seat. Finally, she looked over at the young man. "I believe we haven't been introduced yet." she said, mouth twitching in a half-smile. "What is you name?"

	"Winter." he said, blushing and slinking a little further in his chair. The ship next to him- how could he compare? "Winter Chase. I'm a writer."

	"Oh?" Koln asked, smiling. "What sort of writer?"

	"I write Harlequins." Winter said, shaking his head. "Right now, I've got... nine? Nine published."

	Koln smiled, sighing. "Well, you already know me- Light Cruiser Koln, Kriegsmarine."

	Winter nodded, before taking a slow pull on his drink. "I know. We got a packet on them so we could do a shipgirl romance..."

	"What?"

	"Shipgirl romances. They were, uh... well, for people interested in you. I got the North Sea Fleet packet, and ended up doing one on Liepzieg. Your name came up a few times, though."

	Koln blinked, and took a sip as she blushed a little. "Did they say nice things about me?"

	"They didn't really mention you." Winter apologized. "You, uh, didn't show up much in my book either. Harlequins are like that, though. Not much in them except the romance, and the formula."

	Squinting, Koln finished her drink. "That's ok." she said, sighing. "I know about rules and formulas."

	"I dind't mean-" Winter said, rushing over himself as he stopped. There, by their table was the bouncer, a depressed look on his face.

	"'scuse me, Miss Koln." he said, basso voice rumbling. "But your room had a leak, and we can't put you up for the night."

	There was silence for a second as Koln thought about what to do. Finally, she looked at Winter. "Know any other places with rooms for let?" she asked, smiling a little. Winter thought, and gulped.

	"It, um, I know it sounds kinda odd, but I do have a spare room in my cottage..." he mumbled, trying not to look at Koln and failing. Blushing, he kept going. "It's a nice little place... there's heat and everything..."

	Koln looked over at her aquaintince, and smiled slightly. "I accept."