Back to Contests

A Trip to the Festival of Light by Renthur

Merit for March 2009

It was a wonderful morning, the sun was shining, birds were singing and the
faintest sound of music was carried along on the wind. This sound caught my
attention as I was helping my mother in our little garden, tending the carrots
and apple trees as I hurried along after her. I reached out a paw and gave her
tail a few tugs to garner her full attention, "Momma, what's that sound?" I
asked her. "I believe New Celest is having one of their festivals," She said to
me with a smile, "You've never been to one have you?" I shake my head at her and
she reaches down to ruffle the fur between my ears. "Well let me finish up with
this and I'll take you, now go get cleaned up." I let out a cheerful chirp and
hurry to the pond near town to wash up as she continued her work; Bavarro must
have been doing his job because I didn't see a single mosquito around that nasty
cave.

I shook my paws dry and nodded, feeling I'm suitably clean as I hurry back to
my mother. I catch her just as she's stepping back out of the door and hug her
around the knees with a smile, "Are we going now Momma?" She me gives one of her
loving smiles and nods, reaching down to take my paw in hers as started for the
road. I waved at Vaboz Bumble and his bees as we passed, giggling as an
exceptionally large one landed on his snout. I heard a sudden thunderous
clatter and let out a startled squeak, grabbing onto my mother's tail in fright
as the carriage drove past. I peeked out from behind her to see the carriage
disappear into the distance and see my mother's reassuring smile. "The carriage
is nothing to be afraid of hun," she said in her usual honeyed tones as she
kissed me on the forehead. At this I nodded and took her paw again, nearly
pulling her with me.

A short while later we passed by the ferry and entered the stretch through the
Serenwilde forest, I looked about in awe at the sheer size of the trees, making
my mother stand still with me as I looked up at the looming living bridges. She
gave my paw a gentle squeeze, "The Serenwilde is amazing isn't it?" I nodded,
starting to walk with her again while letting my eyes roam over the trees and
all their occupants; I waved at a faeling who fluttered by with several pixies
in tow and got a wave in return, just before the pixies all tickled her at once.
All too soon the trees began getting sparse and the last of the elfen were out
of sight. I sighed, ears drooping slightly before I notice how much more clear
the music has become.

I start to hum along with the music as best as I can, hurriedly passing
through the hills before we reach that valley. I shiver and hide behind my
mother as a roc's cry sounds and a shadow passes by. Soon enough we're outside
the magnificent walls of New Celest, music as loud as ever now so close to its
source. The guard at the gate nods at us, his armour shining bright in the sun
as he stands watchfully. Just beyond the gate the celebration is in full swing,
I smile and take a firm grip on my mother's paw, bouncing about cheerfully as we
pass a group of bards. I giggle happily as two of the bards start casting
illusions, a third telling a story and the rest playing music for them. I stop
my mother and watch for a few moments, as the image of a merian mage is made,
setting off to rescue a princess. I'm drawn from my enjoyment by a sudden growl
of my stomach and I look up at my mother, "Momma, can we get some food?"

She simply smiles and nods, leading me gently through the outer ring in search
of a food stand. As we head pass by the other entrance I spot a be-winged mouse
furrikin, garbed in a shining halo and a robe as she sang. She had no
instruments accompanying her, simply her voice and it was a wonderful sound. I
smiled over to her and bounce and waved when her song finished and got a chuckle
in return. About now my stomach voiced its complaint again so we continued
along. Now the smell of fresh food was heavy in the air, stand bearing exotic
fruits and marvelous fried treats lining the road.
As we turned and started to head up-hill I saw another robed furrikin, this
one looked like a raccoon and was working in a kitchen; He seemed to be happily
baking cookies for a nearby stand. I tugged my mother over to look inside and
saw a decorated metal staff propped against the wall before I felt a paw on my
head. "Well hey there little fella." I jump in surprise and look up to see the
raccoon with a star-shaped cookie in paw. "Hi..." "Aww, I don't get so see many
furrikin around here, especially cute little squirrel-kin with growling
stomachs." He grins and hands it to me, ruffling the fur on my head before
smiling at my mother. "The cookie is free, would you like anything?" "No, thank
you for your kindness." At this I take a bite out of my cookie, happily eating
the sweet treat. "Of course," He nods and starts to go about his work, but
before he can get started I charge him and hug him about the knees. "Thank you."
"Heh, come see me any time you want a cookie, when you're older I'll even teach
you how to use a tahto." He gestures over to the metal staff and ruffles my head
one last time.

"There's going to be a big show tonight at the Pool of Stars, head there when
night starts to fall." He smiles down at me and I let go to hurry back to my
mother; I follow her happily and take several large bites out of the cookie. My
stomach no longer complaining I hold onto the half of the cookie I have left as
we go to take in the rest of the entertainment. We see more bards doing shows,
dracnari doing tricks with fire breathing, jugglers, and even acrobats as the
day rapidly turned to night. I tugged urgently on my mother's tail, getting
her to look down as I yawn tremendously. "Momma, the big show." She smiles
softly at me and scoops me off the ground, cradling me in her arms as I finish
the cookie.

"Here, you look tired," She says as she starts up the road to the center of
town. I nod and put all my effort into staying awake. She continues up, passing
through several doorways until we reach a large crowd and the sun fully sets.
All the performers are here, all the bards grouped in the centre while the
cooks, singers and everyone else spread through the crowd gathered to watch.
All of a sudden the bards threw their hands up and the sky exploded in bright
colours. I gasped in awe with the crowd and clapped merrily, my cheering
swallowed by a yawn as the show continued. I watched as long as I could, saw the
colours paint faces in the sky and heard each announced by name and title. The
last I heard before drifting off was 'Lady Isune, the Aesthete.'