Chapter 1: The Festival

Erin's perspective:

Today is a big day in the pagan village of Solus. today marks day one of the three-day-long festival of The Deer of Life. Everyone stopped work early so they could go home and get ready. Erin was already home getting ready for the festival.

She was sitting in an old oak carved chair (that her father made) as her mother braided her hair. Erin had long chestnut-colored hair that glimmers in the daylight. Erin was all smiles as her long hair was being braided.

She was looking forward to the festival that starts tonight. She has been waiting for this day to show off the pearly white dress that she has been working on for the past year, just for this moment.

As the two of them were home, Erin's father comes in from working outside in the fields all day. He was a scruffy looking man with having not shaven in the past few days and had medium length brown hair that was messy from wearing a straw hat all day.

He looks to his beautiful wife and daughter and smiled as he places fresh cut ham from the village butcher on the table. "May the Deer of Life bless this meal as the pig who gave birth to many now shall feed our family so we shall bloom new life into this world." Erin's prayed out loud as he unwraps the beautifully cut pork. he places two slices of ham on a fresh-baked piece of sourdough bread.

The whole family takes a break from getting ready for the festival to eat this rarity of a dinner. The taste of the fresh fatty tasty ham on the fresh-baked slice of sourdough was a wonderful delight to all of them. Because of this meal they are all having high hopes for the festival.

The harvest this year was good so plenty of food will be available. After the meal, Erin's father stood up silently and walked to his room to shave and get dressed into more appropriate attire for the occasion. Once he left, Erin and her mother continue to work on each other's hair. Around thirty minutes later Erin's braids would be finished.

They are beautifully put together and looked elegant with the white daisies that were braided into her hair. She then walked over to the old beat-up wooden crate in the right corner of the room to pull out her pearly white dress. Erin puts on the dress. It fits perfectly, it showed off all her natural beauty. She was only 5'3, 100 pounds, and had a slim petite build.

She knew tonight could possibly be the night she meets her future husband so she wanted to show off every bit of her pure beauty. Being nineteen and not married was somewhat a rarity in her village. So she knew she had to find someone soon. As soon as Erin got finished dressing, she sneaked out of the house before her parents. She left for the festival and began to walk the dim-lit dirt path to the village center.

From a distance she could hear the faint music playing, people laughing, and people cheering. She followed the sounds of pure joy until she was hit with the bright-lit bonfire from the middle of the village. It was blazing, it had to be at least fifteen feet tall and filled with giant logs. Everyone was dancing around it and having fun.

Erin smiled from ear to ear and ran towards the small wooden stage-crafted for the musicians, there were only six of them playing pipes, drums, and stringed instruments. The music was upbeat and full of life. Erin watches the musicians with sparkles in her eyes. She was taken in by the amazing sound coming from different instruments. The pounding of the drum rang a joyful beat in her ears. The pipes and violins play a beautiful harmony with each other. It fits perfectly together.

Once she finally took her focus off the music, she was hit by the smell of fresh-baked pies, loaves of bread, and cooked meats. At every point where she smelled the delicacies, she saw massive groups of people surrounding the areas. The quickly made food stands and the open door to the village tavern is packed with people yelling their orders.

Off to the left of the bonfire, Erin spots two giant kegs full of mead being surrounded. She sees at least fifteen villagers laying on the ground with their wooden mugs in hand passed out drunk. Before she knew it, a few hours have gone by.