Fireworks and Festivals

In the Festival of Embers, the fireworks shine with the booming fervor of howls and ferocity none quite the other.

At night and at the midst of these celebrations, the little hamlet of Illen--named after the proud Baron who had seized this place, revered and also the sole reason of the Festival.

From the outskirts of the hamlet all through the road and into Castle Illen itself, everything is illuminated, lights hanging on posts, firebugs to accompany the scenery and silence.

Just a nick before midnight.

Below these rooftops, almost all of the people here wait in anticipation. Children giggle in unkept excitement while Parents shush in return with theirs very much kept. Dogs, cats, myers and whatever domesticated pets slept with ears muffled. It was about to be loud, no one wants any noise except for the explosions, cheers and yells about to come.

After all, the point was the extermination of creatures itself.

Midnight.

Never early, never late. These thoughts wandered her mind though it was her first time actually celebrating this Festival---no, no, celebrating was too great of a word, attending will do.

As cozy and cold as the roof's tiles were, and dusty, they were a high point, a vantage point, and she dared not think about falling, that'd be an unceremonious end to an early life that was just about to witness a ceremony.

Those thoughts wandered off. From the majestic and opulent Castles shot streaks that went to the pitch-black sky, no stars and the moon was far, the streaks were perfect, even a wily merchant resting is sure to see them.

And the whole nation will see what's next.

The streaks of light reminded her of rainbows, then they proliferated all across, spanning the whole province surely! The show had barely begun and what awes and delightfulness could be thought upon invaded her ears. It was, it was annoying.

Pop, pop and pop. Near-simultaneously, a trail of explosions replaced what once the streaks of light and what once the dark sky became a colorful display of magic and powder. A pseudo-rainbow was it, from red to violet to mixes in between. The grand display, the supposed magnificence was--just subpar.

"Sure, it's only the fifth year this Festival was being celebrated with fireworks but was it this ugly?"

Her words reached no one but herself, the sky ought to feel heavy after this, as so too does her heart. Dragons, replaced for this? Find a better story.

This memory of the mid fireworks-display was now carved in her mind, and with one tap of the back of her boot, she slides down across the roof, catching herself by the edge and then landing on the ground with a mild thump and a kick of dust. She was the only one who had that thought, with everyone else around her staring across the skies. Were it not for the constant popping and explosions, their awws and ahhs would've returned.

Her large-brimmed hat awaited for her in a crate just by her side. Though there was no reason to, she put it on and merrily-across the hamlet.

The noise kept going but the tap of her shoes against the cobblestone roads certainly felt better than what had around her. What steps now had led her to the local tavern, pushing back the door quickly and nearly tripping on the way inside.

The main tavern was closed, the bartender was, as expected, outside, along with other common folk but that wasn't her purpose still.

"No one would mind, hm?"

Some hopeful words, her eyes directed up as her hat tipped forwards twice. It nodded, she understood, and it made her smile.

A quick sway of a hand---

Silence.

Outside and Inside had become two separate things once again, as it should be.

She walked ahead, eyes forward but close and a head bop with no beat being her celebration of a successful spell.

The silence wasn't overwhelming, her boots were, especially how loud they just seemed to be on wood and on stairs. Ugh.

But it's a price.

Up the stairs, a narrow corridor stretched in both directions of the stairwell with only enough space for one to traverse both sides. The rooms were situated here, it wouldn't be a tavern if not for that, and among the many rooms, of course, only one mattered.

Despite everything so far, she had deemed it okay to skip with the beat inside her mind, and now inside her room.

The soft hum of a piano plays in the small room with no pianist in view. Or atleast, a direct one.

By the end of the room, there was a window, a perfect view of the folks watching and the main spectacle of the fireworks still going on. And a perfect view of the feline watching.

"I thought you hated explosions?"

In a shift, her otherwise jovial expressions so far had been substituted for curiousity, there was much to learn, always.

The first to move were a twitch of triangular ears, resemblance of a cat--if not, human-sized for a human it's attached to. They were a dark fusion of fur and hair, then, they turned in one swift-grace motion.

What met her was a weary expression of the lad. Another twitch.

"Elysia.."

The soft feline spoke, and a shiver. He was...nervous, spooked, and that realization struck fast on the quick-witted lass now, her hat off her head and unto the lad, landing on his head and snuggling on it. There are three in this room.

"Oh--Oh! You know, you should've told me to make it soundproof, you know? I half-expected the piano to soothe your nerves."

Her jovial excitement returned, early to giggle as she took off her boots and cloak, it was home-sweet home but without the pajamas. It'd be a pain to change into that given how sleepy, how tired and how deep into the night they are.

"I...didn't know you could do that."

The lad replies, standing up from his chair, clutching the cloak which was a near-replica of the lass', a black overside and a slight-greyish underside. It was thick enough to be a blanket but thin enough to be a sheet. It was a versatile and fine example of tailoring and it isn't going anywhere.

"Fair enough, how'd you enjoy it?"

Finally, the happiness departed, with what true feelings she had finally crashing in like a horse unleashed---oh, that's why it's unleashed, because it's literally out of a leash. Fun!

The exhaustion of the day threw her onto the bed, they had to journey into Illen, do some quick work, handle some ruffians in the tavern, get a room and then wait for the fireshow. That's a full-day in both of their books.

"Hnnghh.."

A soft groan comes from the lad. He felt...mocked, the cloak leaving his body and setting it by the side of the bed as an impromptu bed. No, it wasn't okay to be with anger, better to be with her. The hat never left his head even as he started to settle down on the floor, bending with such flexibility that it was also comfortable for him. Were she to try it, she'd end up with broken bones.

That's a sight to dream about.

"What?"

A bold and at the same time, worried tone comes from her.

"What is it?"

Her head protruded from the bed, looking down at him just as he had settled. He didn't even answer, only a snob. Were cats like this?

As the feline looked up, lines of snow-white hair land on his face that made him shake it away, training his eyes on her. They were blank, and a simple frown on his mouth, then, he looked back down and carefully nestles onto his new floor-bed and only then do words become comfortable enough to share.

"Goodnight."

....

"Heh. Sure."

For all she knew, he could be suddenly upset at her, sure that silence spell would've been useful a few minutes earlier but can he reaalllly blame her?

A slight giggle replaces the soft tune of the piano as it shut off, she felt giddy about it, reaching out a hand that pushed down the hat until the familiar figure of a head was all it felt, ruffling a little somewhat before taking it back.