Chapter 22: "In the violet-colored moonlight"
When Radha saw Vahan, she quickly ran to Vahan and the two hugged each other, causing Vahan to scream out in pain.
Without waiting for Radha to ask a few questions, a voice came from behind them at the tent, "Are you alright."
"Fine, accidentally bumped into it," Vahan said, twisting his head against the tent.
Several people quickly left the tent and sat down by a campfire.
"What happened to your chest?" Radha asked.
"You guys went out to fight the bandits and a few of us were captured by Thais's forces in the village of Sahel, they sold us to the arena, where we got slashed, it doesn't bother us."
"A few of us have been looking for you, and in Hubia City we heard about the arena falling apart and thought it was you guys," Zayin said.
"It's good to have them all alive," said Borg, turning the coals over with a twig as he stepped aside.
"Alas, since leaving the village, I've seen more dead men than I've hunted rabbits, and I've lost my life if I don't get it right. Let's all stay alive and go back to the village together," Rumto sighed from the sidelines.
"This is not like you to say ah, you followed them to fight bandits before is not quite energetic."
"Yes, it is quite exciting, provided that we are all safe. When I think of this separation, it's hard to bear," Ram Tuo hammered his head in sadness, and the others also followed in silence.
"Let's try not to be separated in the future, it's better for all of us to be together, otherwise I really don't have any confidence in my heart," Radha said softly from the side.
"Then in the future, everyone try to stay together, so that we can take care of each other. But you still need to practice your horn blowing skills, every time I hear you blow it's a mess."
"I'm blowing it with character, how can it be the same as others," Radha defended herself.
"That's true, it's okay to be able to tell it's you blowing anyway," Vahan patted Lada's shoulder lightly.
"I think it would have been better if the blowing was slightly more pleasing to the ear," Zana said with a smile.
...
As the men talked and chattered, at some point, Ramtu asked Nadeem for a few bags of liquor. A few people began to drink, not caring about the stares cast by the nearby soldiers.
"Are you so familiar with Nadeem? I asked him for liquor a few times before he gave me a bag. That's a lot of face for you," Vahan said, surveying the bag of wine in his hand.
"That is. When we followed him in clearing out the hideout, the five of us were able to pack up the hideout without him having to move with the men, not that it saved him any trouble," Ramtor stood up and sipped his wine, describing it colorfully, shaking his body every now and then.
The rest of the group bounced along.
Lada crouched beside a hollowed-out dead stake, tapping the surface and side flutes of the stake with his palms and fingers, and sticking his longsword vertically in the open space beside the stake, rhythmically tapping the stake and hitting the longsword to match the pace of the men. The wooden stake made a muffled "dong", "dong" sound, and the long sword made a crisp "da", "da". Lada used the stake and the long sword as a tambourine.
The bag of wine in his hand swayed with the bodies of several people.
Or the alcohol made it strong, and a few of Vahan and Ramtuo chanted poetry from their mouths.
"Desert winds, blowing across the boundless dunes.
The hoofprints of camels, recording our journey.
In this land we live free.
...
Warriors of the tribe, your courage is like a storm in the desert.
Your wisdom is like the Big Dipper in the starry sky.
Your honor will always be remembered in our hearts.
..."
The soldiers who were no longer sleepy after being disturbed by these few people looked towards them, and there were also a few Aserai soldiers who joined in and danced around the bonfire, following the steps of the few people. Holding hands in a circle, they stomped and spun to the rhythm.
Alvar, dressed in indigo robes, stood outside the tent and watched the crowd. The hem of his robe lifted in the wind and his long hair flowed. The peaks of his eyebrows were stretched and his deep eyes were filled with laughter. During the time she had fled from Razih into the Mengla Mountains, she had never been as relaxed and happy as she was today.
The soldiers, at this moment, also dispelled the gloom of these days.
Another dozen or so soldiers sat around the campfire, and the young soldiers bounced around it, dancing more and more lightly.
Beneath the large tree, the veterans plucked at their bowstrings, making as many of the complex glissandi and ornamentation of the oud as possible, simulating the sound of blades breaking and horses' hooves galloping in response to the chanting.
A few more veterans sat down beside Radha, with scavenged deadwood placed in the crooks of their legs, and tapping their palms and fingers against it in an orderly fashion to the rhythm of the dance.
The soldiers of the Southern Empire, either sitting or standing not far from the crowd, quietly watched and listened, enjoying the exotic dance music. In their hearts, they guessed that if there was no war, it turned out that their lives would be so beautiful.
Nadeem, Para and a few veterans, standing not far away, quietly sipping their wine, were they dancing around the campfire when they were young, like these young men.
Vahan saw the girl standing by the tent and smiled as he walked briskly to her side and took her hand toward the campfire.
A few of the Rumto men howled and clapped their hands as they saw the two men, dancing more and more vigorously. Lada's arms rose and fell repeatedly, striking the dead wood and the sword, hoping that the sound of the tambourine would not be drowned out. The soldiers cheered, it was a scene they had never seen before, a noblewoman and a farmer's man walking hand in hand.
Alvar was shy as they stopped by the campfire and Vahan took her hand and jumped and bounced, signaling her to keep up with his rhythm. She followed him, dancing to his pace.
As the crowd chanted the end of the poem, they did not stop dancing, the tambourines and ouds continued.
"It's your turn, it's your turn to sing," Vahan said with a big smile as he turned around with small steps and held Alvar up.
It seemed as if everyone heard him, and the dance went on and on, looking at the two.
Alva didn't stop, blushing and scanning the crowd's expectant gaze, and upon seeing the many soldiers of the Southern Empire, decisively responded.
Alva raised one arm and danced to the beat of the drums. He took her hand and moved with her as she danced.
Alva sang with her mouth and danced with her feet. "Tambourine" and "Oud" followed her song.
"Dance to the beat of the drum
And leave the world behind
We'll drink and raise our glasses
In the violet moonlight.
Tudor roses in her curls.
"And you'll stare back
# You'd like to steal a kiss from the Bridge of Sighs #
In the violet moonlight
..."
How light she was on her feet, her flowing indigo robes, the hem of which revealed sculpted calf muscles as it lifted in the wind, the silver bells on her ankles tinkling with a clear, melodious sound. The black veil swayed, and when it flashed over the campfire, the high nose and smiling mouth were reflected in everyone's eyes, what a beautiful girl.
The soldiers of the Southern Empire all sat around the bonfire, and the young soldiers all danced along with the crowd, following the steps of the Aseleans. The Imperial soldiers were no strangers to this and sang along. The songs were loud and clear with the lyrics at high moments and melodious at low moments.
The Asellai listened quietly to the hostile nations sing, imagining if the scene in the lyrics was as joyous as it was.
A noblewoman and soldiers were singing together around a campfire. For all the soldiers, this was a sight they should never have seen anyway, and for that, they were both surprised and grateful. The soldiers who had been following Alva for a long time had also never seen this killing lady with the youthful beauty of a girl next door.
Tonight, the soldiers were enjoying a short, rare, relaxing and joyful time in the mountains.
"Raise your hats and raise your glasses too
We will dance all night long
We'll be celebrating to the fullest
Back to the old days in a different way
By the violet moonlight/
To the knights of the olden days
And to beggars and thieves
They lived in the enchanted forest
In the violet moonlight
Soothsayer, what do you foresee in your cards?
In the cards of your tarot deck
Share your secrets and tell them to me
In the violet moonlight
Raise your hat and your glass.
We'll dance till the morning light breaks
We'll celebrate
We'll go back to the old days in a different way
Under the violet moonlight
Close your eyes and lose yourself
Taste the delicacies and sing the melodies
Under the violet moonlight
In the glow of this magical night
When the seasonal stars shine
Let the lanterns glow
In the violet moonlight /
..."