World Sphere - 41 - End Of The Year Festival

Chapter 41: End of the Year Festival

Before breakfast, we were all getting dressed in the clothes Cilia had gifted us. Except for Gareth, who was trying to squeeze into the outfit he had gotten during his trip to the capital. He had already outgrown the expensive outfit. He was not happy, but all of us were laughing quietly at his vulgarities and how tight the clothes were on his frame. Eventually, Gareth gave up and tossed the clothes down from the loft. “Stormy, I have outgrown these boys’ clothes. You can have them.” He was trying to make light of his obvious frustration. He dressed in the clothes Cilia got him, which fit perfectly to his annoyance.

At breakfast, Gareth’s excitement returned as he planned to seek out Brianne to spend the festivities with her. He thought his new physique, a well-muscled 6’3” frame, would impress her. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that she might be taken already.

Aelyn still didn’t want to go into town and hadn’t changed her mind. Well, I asked her twice at breakfast, and she said yes the second time, shocking me. I was asking to be nice but mustered a genuine smile. I guessed she could sleep in my old room, and I would sleep on the old couch in the shed. Introducing her to my mother and father would be tricky, but hopefully Freya and Pascal had smoothed the road already.

I thought about the festival. After the festival’s first day, I would be alone with Aelyn. I figured I would spend the rest of my time fishing and relaxing at the swimming hole near town. Hopefully, Aelyn would be up for that. I planned to do no stretching or exercising whatsoever! I would practice my focus exercises because those required no movement. I was going to leave the alarm spellbook behind as well to give my mind a break. This was going to be a vacation for me, both physically and mentally.

Callem and Wynna said they would be spending the holiday with Ennet in Hen’s Hollow. Callem told us to find him there if we needed him. He reminded me that I was not allowed to go into the city multiple times and just to enjoy the festival in Hen’s Hollow. The city would have grander celebrations, but the New Year was a family and friends affair.

I should just be happy to be away from Callem’s endless exercises and intense supervision for a few days. I reminded myself not to go anywhere near Ennet’s house. I dug out the six bottles of wine for Ennet from my pack and handed them to Callem to pass along. That way, I would save myself a trip.

The morning breakfast was sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches. We really had gotten too many chickens, and it seemed like every meal now had eggs included. At least it was a versatile ingredient for cooking. I wanted to use my next evolution on my personal dimensional space to extend the stasis effect, and then I could store the excess eggs there. The second evolution would increase it to 100 to 1 differential, but when the entry was open time would pass normally.

We headed out as a group for Hen’s Hollow right after breakfast. It was still quite early; most likely, I would get to town before my family finished breakfast. We walked Celia and Leda to the skyship dock on the edge of town and said our goodbyes. I headed to my house with Aelyn, while Gareth went to his parent’s house. I had a large backpack with my gifts.

Monty was the first to greet me. Running from the overgrown side yard and tackling me. He was one big puppy, easily over 100 pounds now, and very fluffy. His fur had hundreds of seeds stuck in the fur. I would have to talk to Freya about grooming him more often. I wrestled with him while Aelyn watched. I think I caught her smiling. I was surprised at how strong the pup was, and he won, getting victory licks on my face. Freya came running out of the house and tackled me as well as I was standing.

“Storme! Father said you might come! It has been forever since I have seen you. I missed you! I have so much to tell you. Gwen and I are friends! Bet you can’t believe that! Well, she sort of works for me. I have another five other kids in town running for me as well! My courier business has been doing really well!” She was already out of breath trying to give me an update on her life.

“Slow down, Freya. We will have all day to catch up!” I said, glad she was doing well. “Are we going to give gifts in the morning or after dinner?” I asked her after she broke her fierce hug. She noticed Aelyn for the first time.

“Aelyn!” she ran and hugged the stunned young woman. “I told mother and father all about you! They will want to meet you!”  Freya started pulling the stunned half-elf towards the house. “Gifts are tonight,” she yelled back at me. I hope you got me something awesome!”

We all walked into the house while Monty circled us with his tail wagging enthusiastically. Once inside, mother came and ambushed me with a hug of her own. They were cleaning up after breakfast, and I moved to break the hug and snag some breakfast rolls.

Father spoke first, “Are you Aelyn? You are welcome at our table for the festivities! Freya told us all about Storme’s little harem!”  My mother whacked my father on the head with a dirty wooden spoon. “I mean, all about his female friends,” he corrected himself. Slightly abashed, he asked me, “When are we going to see your wizardry?” He was all smiles for pride in his son. “Maybe we can spar later, and you can show me your sword skills, too?” Father was in a great mood, apparently. I didn’t want to do any work on my short vacation, though.

“Father, next time I visit, I promise to engage you in some swordplay. I am under orders to get some rest.” His disappointment was written on his face. “How about some magic? Mother, I can remove those scars on your arms.” This caught everyone off guard, and soon, I was removing scars from everyone. Father had the most, nearly thirty scars all over his body from a lifetime of combat practice. With the magic display finally done, we sat at the table.

Mother said, “Storme, I am sorry, but it will take time to prepare your room. We have been storing things in there and never bought another mattress.” She gave a cross look at my father. My guess is that she had suggested many times that he get another mattress, and he declined.

“No matter. Aelyn and I can always get two rooms and stay at the pub. Don’t worry, mother. I will spend the entire day with you here.” I waved off her concern as best I could. The pub wasn’t an inn but had small rooms for rent upstairs. With the city so close, Hen’s Hollow had no need to have a real inn.

“Can I stay with Storme and Aelyn?” Freya blurted out, her pleading eyes already on our parents.

“No, Freya, they don’t allow dogs,” I said before she could worm her way to staying with me. “And the beds are tiny there.” Freya had a petulant look on her face and slunk down in her chair at the rejection. I wasn’t going to give in, though. I wanted some peace and quiet when I slept.

“So, Storme, Pascal says you are going to the Adventurer’s Academy together in the capital?” Mother asked. I had a bun halfway to my mouth and froze. Aelyn looked at me, amused. I directed my gaze to Pascal with a cocked eyebrow. He had a guilty look.

“Sorry, Storme. Gareth told me in confidence that he was going to convince you to attend the Adventurer’s Academy.” Well, that was news to me. Gareth had not mentioned anything and was probably coming up with some plot to convince me. At least Pascal’s loose lips would give me time to counter him. I had no intention of risking my life for others or fame.

“I haven’t decided where to attend just yet. The Adventurer’s Academy is just a possibility.” I deflected the question. “I still have two years before I enter the first-year Academy in Hen’s Hollow and then a year at the Hen’s Hollow Academy before deciding which advanced academy to attend. Callem and Wynna have already offered to sponsor Gareth and me wherever we choose to attend.”  Well, I planted that seed now and removed any financial burden from them. Also, with our affluent sponsors, my wealth wouldn’t be as much of a shock to others.

The conversation progressed to get me caught up on my family. Father had been promoted and was in charge of the other six men at the single skyship dock in town. It meant he traveled more often on the transport runs, doing four a week instead of one, but the pay raise made it worth it. Mother had failed to pass her master’s test but griped that it was political as the city leather cutters guild voted heavily for their cutters over the cutters from the surrounding towns.

Freya was building a business empire. She was making over two silvers every week, and most of the kids in town worked for her. Pascal was now the best swordsman attending the first-year academy in town, which started next week. He was doing his best to teach others what he had learned at the farm. Monty was the favorite dog in town, and just as I had thought, he was getting scraps from numerous people in town, which was probably helping him grow at a prodigious rate.

I told them about my two spells, mend flesh and cleanliness. They were very impressed when I demonstrated the cleanliness spell, so I felt I didn’t need to reveal my other two spells. I answered a few questions about my magic, and then my mother said, “Tell me about these young women you are training with.” She eyed Aelyn, who had been sitting quietly.

“Pascal says they all look up to you even though you are much younger than them. Freya says the same.” What do you tell your mother when you encounter such a situation? Father had a smirk on his face, Pascal a grin, and Freya a smile. Aelyn had her eyebrow raised in curiosity at what I would say.

“They are fellow students. Nothing more.” Aelyn looked at me, hurt. “They are also my friends. I heal them and cook for them,” I added quickly. Mother was waiting for more information, glancing between Aelyn and me, hoping one of us would provide a more complete answer.

When I didn’t continue, she gave a slight nod like she knew something I didn’t. “Isn’t it time for Remembrance?” I asked, trying to push the conversation off of me. Remembrance was where we told stories of those who passed in the previous year and others long before that. This meant mother and father told stories of relatives we never met or didn’t remember as they passed when we were young.

Father started with stories of our grandfather. He told tales of the man, Jorric, and all the things his father taught him. Grandfather was a city guard, and while off duty, he died trying to break up a tavern brawl in the city. Mother and father alternated, talking about our past relatives. They told the stories as we prepared lunch and long into the afternoon.

We heard the same stories every year, but they were still fascinating. Father talked mostly about achievements, while mother talked about personalities and how they treated others. Before we realized it, dinner was upon us, and I was nominated to make it. I supervised, and everyone pitched in. A large salad, grilled chicken, and a cheesy potato casserole. Dessert would be chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven.

The meal was fantastic, tasting much better in present company. After the cookies, Freya was the first to jump up and wanted the gift-giving to ensue. Since birthdays were usually only recognized up to age 17, Skyholme culture had adopted a New Year gift-giving celebration for everyone. I whispered to Aelyn not to worry about giving gifts. As my family had ignored her brands, she was slowly getting more comfortable.

I gave my mother her leather carving tools, and she was ecstatic. Apparently, the smith who made them was famous. Thank you, Wynna! My mother and father also gave me goggles. They looked like aviator goggles. Apparently, they were designed for dragon riders, skyship pilots, and navigators. They were magical, sharpened your vision, and tinted in response to bright light.

Pascal told me they were expensive, but father got them in the lost and found in a city port for cheap. There was a lost and found that Skyholme port guards all contributed to. After a certain time, the items were available for sale to guardsmen. Father explained that he got them for me because Freya had said I planned to get my own skyship. Well, I had told her about the Wind Splitter with enthusiasm. I think she must have inferred too much from my words.

I gave father his potion belt next, and he was a little shocked. He knew the four potions were expensive, and he gave me a bear hug. I gave Pascal his belt next, and he was ecstatic, trying it on immediately. Pascal had gotten me an elven cookbook. Just Elven cuisine, as the book was thankfully not in the elvish language. I had seen this very book on the discount rack at Wigand’s. It was the thought that counts.

I gave Monty his treat bag next and got a lick after he took a bone to the corner of the room and started crunching loudly on it. Freya was beyond the limit of her patience. Being last was too much for her. I pulled out the six school textbooks for her, and she looked shocked and unhappy and frosted a smile at me. I pretended that was all I had gotten her for a good minute, but before we moved on, I reached into my bag and produced two boxes of candy samplers from a famous candy shop in the Skyholme capital.

Freya’s smile returned, having forgotten about the expensive books in place of the cavity-inducing treats. Freya then gave me the gift she had gotten for me. It was a dark brown leather vest. It looked expensive, and she showed me the interior pockets with excitement. Apparently, it was the height of fashion, so I put it on. It was a little big, but Freya said that was so I could grow into it.

The gift-giving proceeded until everyone had exchanged gifts. It was late, and I hugged everyone and headed to the pub with Aelyn. Hopefully, there were rooms available. I hadn’t thought about it till now, but a lot of the outlying farmers came to the town for the festivities that started tomorrow. At the pub, my worries were found to be valid. They had one room for tonight, and all rooms were reserved for tomorrow.

I looked at Aelyn with a guilty expression. “I can sleep on the floor.”

Aelyn was unreadable as she considered, “No, it is fine we can share the bed. Just stay on your half.”

We went upstairs with the key and found six doors. It was my first time up the stairs, and I didn’t realize they had this many rooms. As I looked for my room in the hallway, a door opened, and I was shocked to see Meredith…or maybe Feradith?

“Storme?” She yelled excitedly into her room, “Fera, it’s Storme! Almost immediately, a door across the hall opened, and their father was there, as well as their mother holding the youngest Gaskil. The stern look on the man’s face at seeing me with Aelyn behind forced me to attempt to explain myself.

”Sir, I got a room here tonight…my family repurposed my room, and I surprised them by coming home…I didn’t know you were staying here…I mean, I am not here to see your daughters….” I was making assumptions about why he looked so cross. Ms. Gaskil whispered something in his ear, and he softened quite a bit.

“Sorry, Storme. If you spend time talking with the twins, just keep the door open.” One of the girls squealed a little. Their mother eyed Aelyn with suspicion but didn’t say anything before pushing her husband in and closing the door. I felt a hand pull me from behind into the twin’s room.

I oriented myself and found the twins and their younger sister sharing a room. “Storme! It is good to see you! After Captain Callem bought all those supplies and chickens from us, father promised we would spend two nights in town for the festival! We just got in. Our brothers and grandparents are taking care of the farm! Have you seen Gareth? Can you and Gareth be our escorts for the festival? Who is your servant? She is so beautiful!” The younger sister was on the bed and watching us.

I liked these girls; they were genuine and were always smiling. They had also cleaned up and were wearing their best clothes. They had the hard-working farmgirl vibe to them..

“This is my friend Aelyn. She is training with us on Captain Callem’s farm. You heard I surprised my parents, so my room had no usable bed. It is up to Aelyn, but I think it would be fantastic if you joined us for the festival!”  Aelyn didn’t look as excited at the prospect but remained quiet and just gave a small nod of acceptance. I knew this would make Gareth happy.

Either way, Mera and Fera, their nicknames, I learned, would be fun to spend the day with. Maybe their energy and endless smiling would rub off on Aelyn. I talked with them briefly until their mother came and told them it was time for bed.

We found the bed in my room small. Aelyn seemed unperturbed and lay down. “Oh, just lay in front of me! There isn’t much room, and neither of us is going to sleep on the floor!”  I scooted in as the small spoon and spammed my cleanliness spell. The bed sheets and blankets definitely needed a good cleaning.

Aelyn wrapped an arm around me to get comfortable. Her body heat was very pleasant against my back. I started making coins into my dimensional space to distract myself until her breathing evened out, and I knew she was asleep. I made lots of copper coins for tomorrow. If Gareth and I were to entertain the twins, the small coins would be handy. I soon fell asleep myself.

In the morning, I got woken by soft knocks on my door. The twins were excited and ready to go, and it was early. After a short discussion under the gaze of their parents, I would buy them and Aelyn breakfast at the pub and take them to the baths. While they were cleaning up, I would go get Gareth. Using the baths was the twin’s idea, and their father seemed overly suspicious. Aelyn was reluctant to join the twins as they were strangers, but I didn’t give her a choice.

Breakfast was a buffet since many townsfolk were passing through the inn today. I paid for all four of us and filled my plate twice. Mera challenged me to see which of us could eat more. She put up a good fight, but I won, to the amusement of her sister and Aelyn. I escorted the three lovely girls to the baths and gave Edel enough coin for them to get private tubs and have their clothes washed. The girls felt awkward that I was spending so much on them, but I waved it off, saying that Captain Callem paid us well on the farm. Aelyn whispered something to them, which made me anxious, but they still wore smiles afterward.

I went to Gareth’s house with the good news. Unfortunately, his mother said he was spending the day with Brianne. I was shocked, as I was certain Brianne would be occupied today—if not with my Edward, then with someone else. It looked like the burden of escorting the three girls would be on me. As I was returning to the bathhouse, I saw Pascal with one of his female friends with whom he had sparred.

At the bathhouse, I had to wait half an hour for the twins and Aelyn to finish. They seemed to have drawn Aelyn out of her shell, as I could hear her talking and giggling with them. I was concerned about what stories Aelyn was telling them about me.

When they exited the bath, they all looked fresh and happy. They were a little upset about there being no Gareth, but Mera took my arm, and Fera took Aelyn’s, and we hauled off to the festival. We immediately ran into Gareth and Brianne when we got to the town commons. The twins flocked to Brianne and started talking with her. Aelyn moved to listen but didn’t participate.

Gareth and I moved to a sidebar. Gareth was excited about Brianne but kept eyeing the twins. They were tall and prettily dressed in their best clothes. I think Gareth was jealous of me. “Strome, where did you find the Gaskil twins?”

“They asked me to escort them. They wanted you to help but your mother said you were with Brianne today,” I informed him and he seemed to deflate a little.

“Brianne asked me to escort her last night,” he said and smirked, cheering up. I didn’t want to know where his mind was going. He suddenly forgot about the young women. “My parents got me an adventurers pack as a gift! It has a tent, a down feather sleeping bag, a runic firestone, a cooking set with a small box of various seasonings, a shaving kit, twelve tightly wrapped ration bars, a water skin, a heavy rain cloak, two different skinning knives, a hand axe, 20 feet of cord, two bandages, six small watertight sacks, two steel flasks, and 6 small bells.” He was out of breath saying all that and he couldn’t wait to show it to me.

The girls had finished discussing whatever young women discuss, and Brianne pulled Gareth away with a smile on her face. As my group strolled through the festival, I pampered my three dates. I think I was showing off my wealth a little, too. I dropped lots of shiny coins and even demonstrated my cleanliness spell a few times, turning old coins bright and shining shiny. My simple magic trick greatly impressed the twins.

We found Wynna and Ennet had set up a tent for readings. They were charging just five silver for a reading for townsfolk only. Expensive for the locals but much less than the few gold they would normally charge. With their skills, five gold would have been a bargain. It took some cajoling, but the twins eventually allowed me to pay for a reading for them.

Even though I told them not to tell me what they found out, they did anyway. They were just too excited. Mera had a tier 2 ability called fermentation. I think it sped up and gave some control over the wine and beer-making process. It also had some alchemy uses. Mera hadn’t been aware she had the ability, so she was quite excited.

Fera had two tier-one abilities, the strength of the ox and the other harvest. Harvest was a common ability in local farmers had. It allowed her to accelerate the growth of a plant. She already knew she had the ability, so it wasn’t a surprise. The strength of the ox was a revelation for her, though, and it would give her additional strength as she grew.

The day was fun. We ate, danced, played games, ate, sang songs, watched people, ate, and were looking forward to the illusionary fireworks tonight. Aelyn started to really get along with the twins, which made me happy. After visiting and sampling our seventh food cart, the town bell sounded twice, paused, and then sounded twice again. It kept repeating, and the entire festival froze like a moment in time. That was the alarm for an attack by Sadians!