The Village Festival

Washing the last set of clothes in the woven basket, Alice roughly snapped the water out if the clothing as she hung them up along the thin rope line strung between two posts to dry out in the hot sun. Alice bent down and washed her hands of the last of the grime and dirt in the now slightly dirtied bucket of water. It had become a common pastime for her as she had gotten older despite her misgivings. As a woman, Alice had filled out well in many ways, often said as by her family to be the pride of the household.  Being at the age of fifteen Alice was often the target for many a young man's proposal in the village. If not for her father´s gruff exterior and treatment of the many visitors, she would have had them lining up in the village in front of their house. Her parents were showing their age these days, despite holding onto the vigour of youth with desperate clutches hard work in the country aged one quite early.

Joel walked past her while Alice was sitting down from after all the chores, bringing home another haul of food to celebrate the feast being held later tonight. At the end of the food gathering throughout the day, the village would hold a feast to give thanks to their ancestors and spirits that blessed the crops. It made a good time to come together at the end of an always tougher growing season but Alice wasn't focused on thid. As much as the thought of festivals excited her, the dancing and celebration could never compare to her old memories.

She could still remember the haunting tunes of the faded ghosts dancing and celebrating throughout the village so many years ago now, often she would hum to herself without noticing producing the same tune. Alice grabbed her wicker basket and looked over at the hills, much of the merchants had left for the day and no one would arrive for a while.

Idly touching the stone necklace out of habit that sat at the hollow of her neck. The gleam the stone held had faded over the years, giving Alice a soft sadness inside of her as she slowly watched the last of her necklace losing its shine. Alice had asked her mother about this, as she knew much of the these things that no one could explain. The fiery blaze of colour and shimmers this pendant had was now only memories, barely satisfying her ache for something more from her mundane life. Walking inside the house, Alice helped to prepare the food their household would contribute for the celebrations.

Joel was balancing on top of a ladder in the village street, trying to tie up some lanterns that were hanging off string that he had bundled in his hand. Setting it in place and observed his work he looked around at the other townsfolk making preparations for the night. Many of the other villagers were setting up their own decorations having traded with the travelling merchants that came through just before. A number of villagers were busying themselves in the centre of the village, a large table was being setup being built out of the many tables that all the villagers owned and creating a long line through the town. Chairs were starting to appear and surrounded the ever building long table as villagers walked back forth from their homes.

I´m sure Alice will be excited Joel thought to himself with a smile. Although he had noticed Alice's sullen mood he felt was best to try and settle down soon. Although this daughter of his was precious to him, she would start a family one day. Especially since she was more of a tomboy than the boys in the village. Out of habit he had driven the suitors away, a feeling of regret was growing.

Ever since Miles had come to the village a number of years ago, Alice had become restless and would declare how much she wanted an adventure loudly and proudly. Sometimes Alice would goof off when she used to work so diligently in the past to help the family, often some days surprising her father stating she had slain a troll that lived under the bridge or spotted some odd faeries that were spreading pollen among the flowers.

Joel heaved a sigh, hoping she would grow out of it, but at the same time he felt she was becoming more enthusiastic about it. Joel sighed to himself, Alice was already within marrying age, but he couldn't let her be married away in good conscience, before he wanted to keep his daughter for himself. Now it was for the good of her future husband and dealing with her shenanigans.

Joel shook his head at the thought, turning back to the work at hand to dispel his doubts for the mean time. When the festival started there would be a dance, who didn't it was a chance for the girls to find an interested boy. Feeling a little more reassured with himself, Joel went over to help the other villagers who were preoccupied with putting up a banner and decorations that were hitched here and there on the tops of the roofs that was in the village. Joel could see Alice helping transport the food to the tables out of the corner of his eye, hoping to see if there was any trouble he could nip at its bud. Habits were hard to bury.

Some of the townsfolk were already lighting the lanterns hanging from the rafters as the food was set on the outside tables. Smelling the wafting fragrances everybody hurried their work to sit down. Everyone was bringing their harvests for the seasons, a lot of breads and vegetables lined the tables, the occasional fruits and soups were also set alongside with the food. Most of the townspeople, aside from the ones bringing food had already swarmed the tables and sat down to stuff themselves with this feast.

The bustle of people and conversing between each other became a low roar as everyone sat down together, complaining about the weather and how the next season might go. Having finished Joel went over to join the rest at the table, Narissa sitting next to him as they already started to snack on some of the food.

As Alice took her seat at the table next to them since the families in the town seperated themselves by family units. Alice was relieved there wasn't an overt appearance of matching making invovled , Alice looked around at all the familiar faces as everyone resisted digging into the full feast in front of them for a moment.

The toll of a bell at the head of the table hushed the crowd and everyone turned their heads towards the sound. The elder of the village stood at the end of the long table and cleared his throat, the hand bell in his hands being placed down as he faced the village as his voice echoed among the dead silent village.

"Villagers, it had been a tough season. We've endured our share of hardships, and our difficulties we all had to overcome. Goblins attacks, crops dying, and many a time our bad luck was almost overwhelming. But here we are, we've overcome all that this world has thrown at us, with the successes of our year we make offerings to those before us and wish for much luck into the future. Let us eat!" shouted the elder and he sat back down gesturing with a cup. Everyone raised their cup and started to take food and pass plates along the line of people as the festivities started up. The sound of the fiddle, pipes and drums set the tone of the night as the noise of conversation started up quickly. Except for Alice.

Yes they had been attacked by goblins but there were only two small ones, which her father quickly taken dealt with by her father so it wasn't much of a threat. Alice didn't feel excited anymore as the wonders she had seen in her youth seemed like so much of a fairy tale. Her father often berated her in wandering off and telling him what she had seen.

She still sat there mulling over her thoughts as she ate, her father casting a worried look as Alice was staring off into space again. The town dance was starting soon and Joel worried that no boys would work up the courage to ask Alice for a round dance again. Alice may have become a woman in the eyes of others but she was much more of a man past her exterior, always doing hardy work and getting into the filthier jobs that left the impression of a lacking any feminine traits despite her apperance.

Sighing to himself, Joel took a long swig from his ale tankard that had been dropped in front of him as the tavern had expanded outside for the night, Narissa watched her husband with a bemused expression. The music had picked up in pace and people started running out to dance in the centre of town. As Alice watched the dancing a hand tapped her shoulder, turning around a slightly older man held his hand out to her, despite Alice not really having danced much she felt hopeful but the sight of an elder made her sigh, she didn't like being pitied. The older man looked so familiar to her but Alice couldn't put her finger on where she had seen him before, and she knew most of the people in the village.

"Would you care for a dance missy?" the older man said with a smile, an outstretched hand in front of her. Alice took his hand and the older man lead her into the throng of dancers. Grabbing her by the waist they started to dance along with the fast beat of the performing band behind the two.