The morning of the Swallowtail Festival is much like any other inside the Turandarok Academy. Out in the streets, however, there is a flurry of activity as all manner of vendors and street performers set up to ply their wares for the anticipated crowds...
Yesterday had been a good day for Axel Hagerson. With crowds of vendors arriving early for the festival, and excited about all the coin they stood to make, his performances had been well received; so well, in fact, that he'd made enough coin for a hearty dinner, a few drinks, a hot bath, a private room, and some spending money at the festival. As the first light of dawn broke through his window on the second floor of the Rusty Dragon, the young skald sat up and shook the sleep from his eyes. Quickly gathering his possessions, he hurried out into the street and headed for the church square to claim a prime spot for performing. It was strange to be heading out at down instead of looking for a place to turn in, but there was already so much excitement in the air as other buskers and multi-colored vendor tents began to fill the streets and squares that he hardly noticed the early hour.
Rising with the sun was nothing new for Josie Fizzwicket. This morning was different though. Like the other neophytes and initiates at the new cathedral, her morning began with prayer and worship. Until today that practice had been followed with chores- including cleaning and helping the builders with their work on the beautiful new building. No more. Today the cathedral was finished; all had been cleaned and preparations were complete for the dedication that would come later that afternoon. With no more responsibilities for the day, she climbed on Inc and set out across the church square while orange light and long purple shadows still spilled across the cobbled streets.
Ellen woke feeling surprisingly well rested. The voices that called to her in the darkness had been silent last night. Ilsoari used to say that when Desna draws near, as she often does on her holy days, the nightmares cannot come. How true that really is remains to be seen but this morning it felt true enough. Choosing which of her drab, unassuming outfits to wear to the festival proved somewhat challenging and only seemed to add to the mix of anxiety and anticipation that she felt. Afterwards, she barely had time to pour some coffee into two cheap clay mugs before she had to run to the door where Josie was waiting for her. The old friends caught up quickly while they walked (and rode) back to the church square and took up position near the stage where the halfling would be able to see.
Kejak's night had been a long one. Fortunately he'd had the good sense to sleep all afternoon, but he'd spent the night on patrol for the watch while most of it's members slept and prepared for today. Nothing serious had transpired, but he and the seasoned watchmen he'd been assigned to had broken up several fights and escorted more than a dozen surly drunks to the holding cell. Part of him considered returning to the Rusty Dragon for a nap as he stepped out of the Barracks and blinked in the morning light, but the smells of the food already filling the air, and the promise of the drinks that would soon be flowing, were enough to convince him otherwise. After a quick splash of cold water to wash his face and hands, and a glass of freshly pressed apple juice from a Shoanti street-vendor, the large ruddy man walks into the church square just as Mayor Deverin walks up to the podium on the stage.
A mighty boom roars out as the petite mayor slams together two thunderstones above her head, and stunned silence immediately overtakes the crowd. Hundreds of people, most dressed in vibrant, festive colors, stand in the square watching the woman at the podium and the three men seated on the stage behind her. "Good morning and welcome to Sandpoint!" she cries out with an enthusiasm that seems contagious. "It is an honor and a joy for us to host all of you on this fine day as we join in celebrating the Swallowtail festival and the dedication of our brand new !" Its plain to see as she continues speaking why she was elected mayor- she is charming, articulate, and an expert at working the crowd. By the time she finishes her brief speech the gathered people seem even more excited for the day's festivities.
She concludes her remarks with, "...and now allow me to introduce to you our esteemed Sheriff, Belor Hemlock." The tanned and weathered Shoanti sheriff rises to a stirring round of applause and steps up to the podium. "Fun. Everybody wants to have fun, right?" he calls out with none of the charisma the mayor had, "Well, you're not gonna have any fun locked up in the Barracks, so you best remember this is still a city and there are still laws here." He seems completely unaware of, or completely unconcerned with, the sudden drop in enthusiasm. "With a crowd this big there's bound to be all manner of pickpockets and petty criminals, so keep your wits about you. Could even be some slavers, so don't go wondering off on your own. And don't go doing anything foolish. We already had one big fire here, let's not go startin' another one 'cause you couldn't control yourself. Speaking of the fire, let's take a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives to that fire five years ago."
A somber silence falls as the sheriff ends his brief but... weighty speech. Cyrdak Drokkus, the head of the local theater, sits with his arms crossed across his chest and a look of annoyance painted across his face for nearly a minute before rising, stepping past Sheriff Hemlock, and clearing his throat at the podium. "Yes. Amen, or what have you. Thank you, Belor." he says in a deep booming voice through his wide toothy smile. "It was to be the venerable Lonjiku Kaijitsu's honor to speak next but, sadly, Lord Kaijitsu was struck ill last night. Of course, when hasn't the good Lord fallen ill on the eve of any great gathering." The showman's tease elicits a chuckle from many of the better dressed people in the crowd and when he mimes a rather feminine swoon more widespread laughter erupts. Having revived the crowd, Cyrdak launches into a lengthy, dramatic, and very well-received narrative on the building of the new Cathedral. He makes certain to heap praise on the mayor and the new high priest, Father Zantus, for their work as well as on a number of nobles, including Lonjiku Kaijitsu, for their financial contributions before ending with a reminder that, "the Harpy's Curse, starring the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda, begins its run at the Sandpoint Theater tomorrow evening! And now, our final speaker: Father Zantus."
The high priest is not at all ostentatious, like Cyrdak was, but its clear from the warm round of applause that he is well liked and respected. His remarks are the shortest of all the speakers. "Thank you all for coming to celebrate with us. I hope that you'll return to the square at noon for the releasing of the butterflies and the prayers of consecration for the Cathedral. Until then, please feel free to tour the new building and enjoy the festivities. It's my pleasure to officially declare this festival begun!"
A cheer goes up that does not die so much as transform into a cacophony of competing performances, vendors shouting out to potential customers, and noisy conversations between old friends and new acquaintances. The church square itself grows less tightly packed as the crowds spread into the surrounding streets where all manner of vendors have opened shop, and all manner of games have begun.
Kejak just can't contain his excitement. He's already been in more festivals, but this one's a special one, since the inauguration of the new cathedral drew a lot more people to the town.
After the (rather long, for his taste) speech, he starts wandering through the different stands, enjoying the festival and the all-around happy atmosphere. He looks here and there, maybe to catch a glimpse of his friends - maybe he can even see Keeanna...
He passes by while Axel is doing his show and stops to watch for a while. During one of the pauses, he gives him their classical sign: 'see you when you're finished'.
Trying to meet someone else, he spots a stand where he cannot hesitate to go. He is immediatly filled with the sound of the cord, immersed in the 'thump' of the arrow reaching the target, thrilled by the beating of the practicioners' heartbeats while they aim. Archery contest!
-Here! I wanna try!
Axel woke up with a slight hangover and it took him a while to realize, "Oh I'm in the inn..." Yesterday had been uncommonly good, and today was going to be even better! Everyone was going to be there, including folk he hadn't seen in years. They'd all dressed up to the nines, and then there would be the dances! A wistful mood struck him and he thought, 'Play your card right Axel, and who knows maybe romance will be in the air, Desna willing...'
As often happened after a few drinks, Axel had woken up deadly early. The sun was barely above the horizon and the birds where still singing. There was no chance of him getting back to sleep, he was far too excited so he set off to the Cathedral hoping to get everyone in the part mood. Even this early the area was filling up, and Axel wasn't able to get the best spot. There were already other would be entertainers there so he had competition!
As dawn turned into morning, Axel realized he'd never seen so may people before. This was by far the biggest audience he'd ever had and he found it rather daunting, literally having butterflies in his stomach! He tried a few popular songs and some of the crowd joined in, and when he finished there was a polite smattering of applause but things weren't working out quite the way he'd hoped.
Feeling a little nonplussed he decided to head off in search of friendly faces. Kejak had been in the crowd earlier, and there was only one place he would be, the archery competition! Sure enough there he was, stringing that great big long bow of his. Axel walks over with a big grin and calls out, "Hey Fella! Thought'd you'd be here. I want to see you get the sixty yard bulls eye this time!"
-Hey bro! How's the gig been?
Kejak is warmed by Axel's presence, but still he's aware that there are a lot of people watching. This ain't no ordinary contest... anyone who excels will be known, his name spoken on ale-meetings all over the next year!
-If I have to be sincere, I'm shitting down my pants. I hope someone up there guides my aim, or else.
Shaking his head and clapping his hands together to shoo the fear, Kejak smiles and changes the topic.
-How come you're not chasing after a pretty skirt you've charmed with those verses of yours?- he says winking.
Axel shrugged and admitted, "Yeah, well it could have gone better. So many people! I never thought that would bother me, but it was like I was ten all over again. Remember that awful school play, the one where I fluffed all the lines? I seem to remember you were a shepherd or something." In a normal school their parents would have been there to watch, of course at the Turandarok Academy that didn't happen. Instead various civic dignatries were invited, this meant the Academy staff took it all very seriously and it was quite the ordeal for the children.
At the mention of skirts, somewhat cheekily and oozing confidence Axel replies, "Anyway I've got a feeling about today, it'll be special somehow. Maybe I'll meet someone, maybe you'll fluke out the double bullseye! Won't hurt to send a few prayers to lady luck eh? Oh and no pressure Kejak, but I just placed 50 silver on you to win! Hop to it fella!"
-You mean the play where that guy playing a sheep made 'mooo'? yeah, I remember that. It was a complete disaster!- he says, laughing.
Once again, Axel has worked a bit of calm into his heart, even if only for an instant. Because he has to spoil it by saying he has bet money on him. Oh, the pressure!
-I hope you don't need those 50 pieces to pay the rent, Axel, or they'll make me kick you out- he smiles, referring to the Rusty Dragon.
Axel laughed, "Could happen, but won't. I've got a feeling about today, you'll see!"
At the corner of Junker's Way and Main Street stands a purple and yellow tent with a large sign that simply states 'Archery'. A scruffy young man calls out from beneath the sign, "Archery! Come test your skill with a bow! Only one person in all of Sandpoint will be crowned Champion! You think you have what it takes?!?"
In the field north of the road six targets have been set up side by side down towards the old lighthouse. Each target is matched with a series of four shooting stations (a knee high rope hung between two wooden poles that have been driven into the ground). The stations are measured out at increasing distances from the targets: 10 yards, 20 yards, 40 yards, and 60 yards. Contests are held once each hour and the best shooter is named 'victor' (a title with some honor of its own); in the evening any victors who wish will gather for one final contest and the winner of that contest with be named 'champion'. Kejak signs up before the first contest is full and finds himself with fifteen minutes to either calm down or grow more nervous before his round begins.
There is no official gambling at the archery tent, but it doesn't take Axel long to spot Ven Vinder, the owner and operator of the general store. Ven enjoys a stiff drink or three just about any time he can find an excuse to partake and has made more than one questionable wager at the bars around town. The burly older gentleman balks at Axel's offer and replies, "Fifty silver?!? On a victor round? I ain't drunk enough for that yet. I got twenty silver that says your friend there won't take the round..." He extends his meaty hand expectantly to shake on the bet.
As the time draws near for the contest to begin, the competitors are lined up in the closest shooting stations. Kejak gets the fourth lane. To his left are two farmers from the hinterlands and a female Varisian traveler; to his right are a foppish man, probably from Magnimar, and a retired member of the watch. The barker has stopped calling out to the crowds and the dozens of spectators fall silent as a whistle blows and the bows are raised...
Kejak walks from one side to anotherwhile he waits for the contest to begin.
-I know, nothing really important is at stakes, but... Performing well could take me a long way in making people forget about my past... and my present.
When the time is about to come, Kejak slowly takes an arrow and slides it through the bow, to gently touch the cord. The familiar sound of worked yew frothing helps him focus on the targets. Then the whistle blows...
While two of the shots are rather average, Kejak manages to hit the bull's eye with another, which makes him smile.
-At least Axel hasn't lost twenty silver.
This time he manages two good shots, one of them right into it.
-Nice. I might not win, but I think I'm leaving a good sensation.
Kejak manages a 'not bad' shot, but then everything goes down, to his dismay. The last shot doesn't even land on the target.
-Damn, this might be it, I might have thrown it all down the bin. Well, let's see the last one...
After shooting all his arrows, Kejak turns to see how the other participants have made it, and waits for the judges to announce the winner while he holds his breath.
Axel shakes Vin's proffered hand and laughs, "If I win, drinks are on me. If I loose, drinks are still on me. Best of luck to you sir, Kejak's been practicing!"
Of course deep down, Axel knew betting double or nothing with Ven Vinder was a dumb thing to do, he could loose all the money he'd earned that week. But on the other hand Lady Luck was sure to favor bold action on her holy day. Perhaps he was already lucky, Ven had been too much of a gentleman to take 50 coins from him, 'No don't think that way, you'll jinx it! Kejak's going to win!'
Initially Axel was sure he was on to a winner when Kejak scored two bullseyes, but oh gosh the third station! Was forty yards too much? Axel felt a frisson of fear, had he really just thrown away a week's earnings? Before he could get two panicked, Kejak landed an arrow within a hairs breadth of the sixty yard bullseye. Well now, he was back in contention, things were about to get interesting!
The first farmer looks not only nervous but inexperienced as he raises his bow. Despite his shakiness, his first arrow sinks into the outermost ring of the target. His next two shots, however, fail to even reach it and he walks off in defeat to laughter and jeers before the others have even finished the round.
The second farmer must be a hunter, or have chased off a few goblins in his day... His first shot is an unimpressive hit in the larger of the two white rings, but his second solidly strikes the bullseye and his final shot lands in the small white ring that surrounds it!
The Varisian woman seems quite comfortable with the bow but her first shot barely catches the outermost ring and her second flies high and glides off towards the beach. Her final shot is a bullseye, which garners some applause, but rather than carry on after such an embarrassing start she bows and exits the field.
The dandy to Kejak's right has no incredible shots but he is consistent, landing one in the innermost white ring and two in the red ring just outside it.
The retired watchmen beyond him is consistent as well, but consistently poor... he seems to be struggling with the bow he uses and all of his arrows are grouped to the far right of his target: one in the larger white ring and two in the outermost (red) ring. He contemplates continuing but instead pats Kejak on the back and says, "Show 'em what a young watchman can do!" before exiting the field.
Kejak lands one bullseye and two shots to the middle red ring and seems well in contention to win the round (much to Ven's displeasure) as the three remaining contestants move back.
The city dweller has a weak second round, landing one shot in each of the two white rings and one in the outermost ring. The farmer, holds his own striking each of the red rings, including the bullseye, but is outdone by Kejak who strikes the bullseye and both of the white rings. The crowd applauds a bit louder for the young shoanti who now seems favored to win...
The farmer starts the third round with another bullseye, but gets caught up in his own success and barely catches the outer ring with both of his other two shots. The foppish gentleman buries his first arrow in the mud short of the target. He recovers well enough to hit the middle and outer red rings with his remaining shots then shakes hands with Kejak and farmer and excuses himself from the field. Feeling the pressure, now more than ever, Kejak's first shot hits the middle red ring, his second the larger white ring, and his final shot completely misses the target! A round of laughter and guffaws goes up and the unassuming farmer suddenly finds himself the favorite...
Kejak turns in a respectable performance from the 60 yard line, striking the middle red, larger white, and smaller white rings. The farmer now seems a ball of nerves as he steps up to fire with the crowd cheering. His first arrow sails down course and sticks in the center of the bullseye! The crowd begins to shout and cheer and Ven begins making his way towards Axel before the winner is even announced. The farmer manages to get off his last two shots--hitting the middle red and larger white rings--before being swept away by the crowd. The scruffy barker steps up on a stool and whistles for the crowds attention. "Well, we can see you have a favorite!" he calls out, "but the results were closer than you may have guessed! 'Kejak the consistent' finished with a respectable total of 72 points, while Gary 'master of the bullseye' Cooke, your newest victor, scored 74 points!"
The crowd begins cheering again and people swarm around the victor to congratulate him. Ven pats Axel on the back with his big meaty hand and laughs, "Guess I shoulda taken that fifty gold bet after all!"
|
"Well, I suppose you've got a point but ah, maybe we should take a break from the 'brave warriors' thing for today," the creature addressed as Inc responds, craning her head around to look at the halfling sitting on her back. "After all, even brave warriors need to rest up from time to time, right? Especially after herding chickens all day like we did yesterday..."
"I mean, you can never be too careful..." Ellen protests weakly but with a soft smile. She had always appreciated Josie's bounding confidence, one of many endearing qualities that Ellen could look up to.
Ellen follows Josie to the food stalls, certainly not opposed to that idea. The crowd is stifling, so many people shuffling around so close, so Ellen does her best to stay near to Josie and Inc. The smells radiating from the stalls up Ellen's excitement a bit and she takes a look around.
'Damnit!' thought Axel, Kejak had been so close but that fluky farmer clearly had The Ladies luck. There was nothing to be done, he'd made a small fortune these last few days and lost it again, of late the story of his life.
"Guess I shoulda taken that fifty gold bet after all!"
Axel's heart lurched, the bet had been twenty silver. He half spluttered, "Fifty Gold! Ha that's too rich even for my foolish blood Mr Vinder. Well I guess I should go help Kejak nurse his wounded pride or something. Enjoy your winnings sir." He reluctantly handed over the last few days earnings. The day wasn't going the way he'd hoped, surely his luck would improve?
"Come on Kejak let's go for a wander. That was some pretty sharp shooting there fella, too bad that farmer was sharper." Axel was disappointed sure, but what happened was clearly fate and no Desnan was going to get angry about that.
-Yeah, I need a beer...
The mouth-watering aroma of curried fish rising from Ameiko's stand fills the air as Josie and Ellen draw close. Unfortunately, the Rusty Dragon's staff, like many of the larger food booths, will not open until lunch time. Nearby a beautiful Varisian woman in a billowy cotton dress and half a dozen colorful scarves seems to be having a great deal of success luring in other dejected customers from the Dragon with promises of fresh honeyed biscuits and thick slabs of grilled bacon on sticks.
Over at the archery course, Ven, who is apparently further into his drink than he first seemed, roars with laughter when his error in speech is pointed out. "Fifty gold! Ha, can you imagine?" he declares patting Axel on the back again, "The old lady'd kill me, even if I won! And, if I'd lost... I'd've had to sell me daughter to pay it... Shayliss, not the tramp, nobody'd pay that for her..."
As the two men head back towards the church square Ven calls after them, "I ain't forgot about them drinks, Axel! I'll find you later for 'em!"
It doesn't take long for the two men to spot more familiar faces in the crowd... as they enter the square they see Ellen and Josie--with Inc, as usual--looking unhappy just in front of the Rusty Dragon's stall...
-Ellen! Josie!
Kejak calls the girls before walking towards them. After the disappointment at the contest, the more company he can keep the better.
-Hey, why those long faces?
Axel and Kejak wander around at random for a while, taking in the sights. By some unspoken agreement they meander towards the Rusty Dragon, just as they enter the square Axel stops dead. Quietly he whispers, "Don't look now but isn't that Ellen?" It had been some years since he'd spoken to her. It was hard to believe now, but five or six years ago he'd had quite the crush on her. Of course that was before the incident where she'd nearly drained the life out of some fool.
The fact the idiot had it coming helped somewhat, but Axel found he was more than a little scared of her, even if she apparently had grown into rather an attractive young woman. He was about to suggest they try elsewhere when he noticed Josie which put him in a quandary. Now Josie was good people, and Axel tended to think of her as the little sister he'd never had. What to do? Axel glanced at Kejak wondering his friend was thinking.
"Guess we'll have to wait a bit on Ameiko's cooking." Ellen's stomach growls in protest and her face reddens slightly. It growls again when she catches a whiff of the biscuits the Varisian is selling nearby.
Ellen was just about to make the suggestion when Kejak approaches. He had always been a fairly nice, friendly fellow so she happily waves back at him. The hand falters a bit when she realizes that Axel is with him; he was no bully either but something about him made her a bit uncomfortable. This was generally fine since he seemed to be uncomfortable around her too, but sometimes their small circle of friends interconnected.
"He's not a bad guy... I just need to try harder."
"Um, hi Kejak. Axel. We were going to eat at the Rusty Dragon but it seems they won't be open for a while still." She points at the neighboring stall before asking Josie, "Those biscuits smell good, maybe we should go over there for now?"
-Biscuits, uh?
Kejak has a quick look over the stand, then looks at Axel.
-What do you think, mate? If your economy cannot withstand another expense today- he says, smiling -then I'll buy you one. Actually- he adds, turning to the girls -the first round is on me!
Happily Axel shouts, "Hey Josie! How's things? Still riding that crazy pet I see. Looks like it's grown another foot or so since I last saw it!" A little less entheusisticaglly, but still brightly he added, "Oh and uh Hi Ellen. Long time no see, been keeping well?"
"-What do you think, mate? If your economy cannot withstand another expense today"
Money was somewhat tight, "That's uh. Cheers Kejek, I hope to buy dinner tonight. I might have another go at busking first, after the swantails have been released, mind." There was no way he was going to miss that.
Axel shrugged, "Oh well you know how it is, easy come easy go." It had pretty much always been this way with Axel, some days he actually earned quite good money but always frittered it away on silly things.
Beaming he added, "Yesterday was a good day!" His smile dropped slightly as he continued, "Today. Well it hasn't gone quite the way I'd hoped, but it's not over yet! There's something about today, I know it's going to be special somehow, and I'm not just talking about the obvious."
"Oh! Thank you Kejak. That's... very nice." She turns to Axel and adds, "I'm doing okay, I guess. Still at the Academy." Ellen quietly hopes that they don't ask more than that; she did not like to think about her tenuous living arrangements, and the conversation would only make things more uncomfortable.
Ellen manages a giggle at Inc's comment. "That sounds like Josie. I'm sure she takes up any chances at heroics the cathedral allows her."
"I'm well on the way to becoming a real knight,"
-Wait, weren't you, already?- he winks.
"How about you two?"
-You mean before epic failing at the archery contest? Not bad, I guess. Doing some guard shifts to get seasoned and the stuff. Boring work, but I guess that's how one starts.
He walks slightly apart to the biscuit stand and purchases a big one for each.
-Here you are, ladies! Mate...- he offers to all of them. -So, what do you fancy doing?
"Sure, there's probably a weight lifting competition. I reckon I could give Kejak a run for his money!", Axel gives Kejak a playful clap on the back before asking, "Shall we try and find that?"
The beautiful Varisian woman smiles at Kejak as she pulls out four warm biscuits for him. The young archer has so much trouble looking away from her incredible violet eyes that he has trouble retrieving the few silver pieces he owes from his pouch. When he turns back to his friends all the festival colors seem somehow duller for a moment.
Heading south down High Street, a barker just before Festival Street is picking out some of the larger men in the crowd and shouting, "Test your strength! You sir, the burly fellow, step up and show the crowds how strong you are; perhaps you'll even catch a young lady's eye! Just one silver pieces, step up and win a trophy to prove your strength to your friends and lovers!" There is no tent at this game but only a red wooden tower about twenty feet tall with a metal rail running up the front and a bell at its top; attached to the rail is a weight that currently rests on one end of what looks like a small see-saw. The barker, a thin man of Chelaxian descent with a big bushy black beard, holds a large wooden mallet and stands next to a barrel of smaller, brightly colored wooden hammers. When he notices Axel's interest he calls out, "You sir! You seem a strapping young man, care to test your strength? One silver for three swings- just hit this raised side of the see-saw and see if you can fling the weight high enough to ring the bell!"
Ellen nibbles quietly and happily on her biscuit as the others talk about competitions; tests of strength were never particularly interesting to Ellen, largely because she was never any good at them, small, frail thing that she is.
She stops with the party when they reach the see-saw game, and laughs softly when Josie volunteers; not at her, but with her. It was hard to take a halfling's strength seriously for most people, but Josie had fought off boys much larger than her enough times that Ellen knew exactly what was coming. She keeps nibbling, eyes looking around with amusement as the other spectators gawk at Josie's accomplishment.
Josie's mallet hit with a thunderous crack
Axel grinned, "Impressive! You really smashed that. Let's have a go too."
Axel limbered up for a moment before bringing the mallet down with all his weight behind it. His first go was just a hairs breadth off target. Having sized it up, his second swing landed right on target just like Josie's had. The impact of these two heavy hits jolted his arms so much his third and final strike was nothing special.
A chorus of laughter and guffaws rises from those nearby when Josie hands over her coin and hoists the large hammer. When her first swing sends the weight clanging into the bell a sudden silence takes hold of the whole intersection before an eruption of cheers. A crowd quickly forms but starts to disperse just as quickly when her second swing fails to reach the halfway mark. Her final swing clears the three-quarter mark and earns her some more applause and congratulations while the very surprised barker removes a bright pink wooden hammer and hands it to the triumphant halfling.
Trying hard not to be outdone by his much smaller friend, Axel steps up and brings the mallet down with all the force he can muster. He garners some attention of his own when he rings the bell on both of his first two attempts but a disappointed groan goes up when his final try falls short. "Nice try kid," the barker says giving Axel a firm pat on the back and handing him a silver painted mallet.
As the festival around them returns to normal a soft voice calls out from behind the two competitors, "That was pretty impressive, Axel." Turning around, the young troubadour finds himself standing face to face with a curvaceous redhead with emerald green eyes. He's so struck by her beauty that it takes a few seconds to recognize her as Shayliss Vinder, Ven's younger daughter. She looks considerably more grown up than the last time he saw her.
As Kejak realises why Axel has turned around, he hits him slightly with the elbow. Then he winks at Josie and Ellen.
-Uh, girls... have you seen that? Come, let's have a look!
'Wow' he almost said it out loud, would have too if Kejak hadn't elbowed him. "Hey Shayliss nice to see you. We're going to, Well actually they are going to try their luck at one of the other contests. I was planning to see the swallow tails released. They say it's good luck if one touches you. Want to come and see it?"
Shayliss smiles as the others walk away. "I'd love to," to she answers looking deeply into Axel's eyes. She wraps her left arm around his right so that her handle cradles his bicep, and she steps in close enough that he can't help but feel the softness of her curves against the hardened muscles of his arm. Axel knows very little about flowers but he can tell she smells like one- a nice one, something he's smelled before... lavender, maybe, or lilacs.
The two draw some stares as they walk arm in arm back to the church square. Though they are only about twenty feet behind Kejak, Ellen, and Josie, Axel seems unaware of their nearness. When the two groups arrive separately back at the Cathedral they are just early enough to find good places to stand near the covered carts containing the butterflies. Perhaps accidentally, or perhaps by someone's design, the two groups end up at opposite ends of the same wagon, where they can see each other.
After a few minutes of the crowd growing denser Father Zantus steps up to the podium again as the Mayor and the Sheriff stand on stage behind him. While the crowd still talks noisily, the bearded priest begins to sing one of Desna's best-liked hymns. Slowly the song grows as row after row of spectator ceases talking and joins in singing. By the end of the fifth and final verse the whole crowd assembled in the square is singing and the song can be heard echoing doing the streets of Sandpoint. Quiet settles in as the last note fades away and Father Zantus begins to recite the prayers shared each year at the festival. As he finishes, a few minutes later, a pair of acolytes at each wagon pull back the canvas coverings releasing clouds of brightly colored butterflies into the air.
As children clap and squeal, and begin chasing butterflies around the square, the Mayor steps forward once more. "Praise be to Desna, and all the gods who watch over our city!" she cries out, "And thank you to Father Zantus and Sheriff Hemlock, and to the White Deer, the Hagfish, and the Rusty Dragon who have worked with my office to provide lunch for the festival at no cost to you!" At this last statement the crowd explodes in claps and whistles, while several nearby food vendors curse and shake their heads.
Things in the center of the square begin to thin out as people push their ways towards the free food stalls around the edges of the square. Several of the acolytes smile and wave at Josie as they carry their neatly folded tarps back to the Cathedral. A group of children, meanwhile gather around Axel and Shayliss as about half a dozen butterflies land on her hair, shoulders, and chest.
-So, ladies, what shall we do now?- asks Kejak. -The Mayor said lunch would be free, but on the other hand that will mean a lot of queuing. Are you hungry?
"Wow!" Axel is amazed and delighted to see the so many butterflies land on Shayliss. Even one landing for a moment was considered good luck, but half a dozen! "Shayliss, that's incredible, the goddess smiles upon you."
Ellen winces as the butterflies hover over Shayliss, though when the reaction is over she cannot fathom why. She just hopes nobody noticed it.
"I could wait a little bit for lunch, I think. I'd like to do some shopping while the line thins out." Ellen had been saving up the small allowance the Academy provides to buy something for Josie since they don't see each other as often as they once did. "Just no butterflies," she thinks to herself.
-Oh, yes. I would also like to buy a memento. What do you have in mind, Ellen?
"Shayliss, that's incredible, the goddess smiles upon you."
"Yes... she does..." Shayliss answers looking Axel up and down hungrily. Stepping so close that he can feel the warmth of her body, she presses her cheek to his and whispers, "don't spoil it for the children but it's probably just the perfume." She rests her hands on his hips and lingers next to him for a moment while she giggles softly.
Although there are vendors, games, and performers lining many of Sandpoint's streets the best place for shopping is the market square (where Water Street, Festival Street, and Market Street converge). Stuffed with more stalls than even the best market day, the wares available in the square range from brightly colored paper butterflies and tiny carved wooden cathedrals to commemorate the festival, to real trade goods like silks and spices from far off lands, and there are even some stands selling potions, scrolls, and minor magical trinkets.