Seeds need water, sun, ... and soil. Elyse was a forbidden child. Her parents gave up their youth for the dream of a new start for humanity. They broke the rules to give their daughter a head start. But when their colony ship arrives, the target planet is a ball of ice, and Elyse is left to watch the adults around her cope with devastating failure, and try to make something out of her own life at the same time. The Speed of Winter is the first in the Four Seasons quintet, which explores the voyages of four arkships and the fate of those left on Earth. Winter will be followed by A Heading for Fall, The Loss of Summer, A Commitment to Spring, and Salted the Earth. Not suitable for children. This is a 19,000 word NOVELLA.