Winter Fair Gifts, or Winterfair Gifts in the original version, is a short story by Lois McMaster Bujold from the Miles Vorkosigan series. It was first published in 2004 in the Irresistible Forces anthology, a compendium of stories written by American romance novelists commissioned by author and editor Catherine Asaro, with the aim of merging romance and science fiction. Although Lois is not a romantic author, romantic relationships are a theme throughout all of her books.On the occasion of the celebration of his marriage to Ekaterin Vorsoisson, Miles Vorkosigan receives his galactic guests in Barrayaran, with special attention from the impressive Lieutenant Taura of the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet. Roic, one of Vorkosigan's men-at-arms, is in charge of guiding her through Barrayar. After derailing an assassination attempt on Ekaterin together, Taura gains some of Roic's admiration, and Roic gets her Lord to improve her image of him.