Chapter Nine: Festival of Fhyre

Orla walked beside Wren. Kacien lead the way through the forest and a fast pace. Orla could tell that something was on his mind, but she wasn't sure what it was. Beside her, the large wolf looked around at the snowy forest.

"Was it cold?" Wren asked suddenly.

"Was what cold?" Orla looked over at Wren.

"Living up in the tree."

"Oh," Orla laughed. "No, it wasn't cold. We had a fireplace. And on really chilly nights I would come downstairs with my blankets and sleep beside the hearth." She smiled at the memory before remembering that the comfortable little tree house was gone.

"Did you like living in that tree?"

Orla nodded. "Yeah, I loved it. I hope Ombu is able to give Kacien enough strength to rebuild it. I don't know what I would do if we're not able to rebuild."

It was the first time that Orla thought about the possibility that Ombu may not help them. The idea of never being able to live in the tree house hurt her heart.

"I'm sure she will be able to help you two," Wren said. However, there was something strange in her voice as she spoke. Orla wondered if Wren was lying.

"I hope so," Orla said. She reached into her satchel and stroked Peridot on the head. The cat purred gently.

As the day warmed up, snow began to melt off the trees, leaving the trail slick and muddy. Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, the mood of the group seemed to grow lighter as the sun rose through the sky.

Orla took the lead, walking down the trail joyously as the sun beamed down. She continued to tell Wren about the different edible plants of the forest. In exchange, Wren told Orla about stories from Greystorm. The little sea-side town was known for his strange tales of the sea.

"It ate an entire ship?" Orla gasped as Wren told a story about a giant sea-snake.

"It sure did," the wolf said ominously. "Swallowed it down with one bite."

"So, there's magic in the sea, too?"

"My mother told me that magic was everywhere," Wren said.

"Kacien," Orla turned towards her guardian. "Is there someone like you who protects the sea?"

"There used to be eight Elementals who guarded the seas," he said. "Now there are four."

"Really?" Wren looked surprised.

"Do they grow plants like you?" Orla asked.

Kacien gave a small smile. "No, but they can cause storms and waves."

Orla grinned. "I'd like to meet one."

Wren gave a low scoff that Orla couldn't quite understand the meaning of. It seemed to her that Wren was more than just hesitant about magic. She thought of her first encounter with the baker and Wren's surprise to learn Orla lived in Inkwell.

"How much further are the mountains," Orla asked, deciding to change the subject.

"We have about three more days of walking before we reach the base of T'esmunda. Then the climb to the summit should take about two days," Kacien explained.

"Have you met Ombu before?" Orla asked Kacien.

"Many times, yes. She is one of the oldest Elementals. I've known her for most of my existence but it's been a while since I saw her last."

"I'm excited to see T'esmunda," Orla said, gazing ahead of them out at the mountain range.

The day dragged along at a slightly slower pace than the day before. While the sun warmed the forest, Orla knew that the warmth wouldn't last forever. She knew that night would bring a biting cold.

As the three approached the foothills of the mountains, the trees grew less and less. They were shorter and more scattered across the hills. Orla had never been this far north. She had no idea that here, Kacien's forest dwindled.

Up ahead, in the hills, Orla could see what looked to be a village. The trail north went straight into a small town with wooden houses and lanterns lit gold.

"Kacien," she said. "What is that?"

"It's a village called Kine'e."

"Of Mortals?" asked Wren.

"Mostly, yes," he said. "It's where we will be staying tonight. There is an Inn there and I know the Innkeeper personally."

Orla was surprised to hear that. Kacien rarely spoke of anyone he knew. It didn't occur to her that he would know anyone this far north, let alone a Mortal woman.

"And we get to stay in an Inn?" Orla asked. She had never stayed at an Inn before.

Kacien nodded. "As long as they are not full."

Orla, Wren, and Kacien made it to the village of Kine'e by nightfall. The sun was just a sliver on the horizon by the time they walked into the village. Orla gazed around at the wooden buildings.

Most of the homes and shops were no more than two stories. All of them had a soft yellow glow from their windows. Small lanterns hung on iron poles, illuminating the street.

Apart from a few people walking along the streets, Kine'e was quiet. It was far quieter than Orla imagined. Kine'e was no smaller than Greystorm yet the people seemed to be in hiding.

Kacien led the group through the village towards a three-story building. The wooden structure had a large sign in front of the door saying, "Kine'e Inn."

Opening the door and walking in, Kacien, Orla, and Wren found themselves the only patrons in the building. Behind the bar stood a gray-haired woman with eyes the color of toffee. She nearly dropped the bottle she had been cleaning when she caught sight of Kacien.

"Lydka," Kacien said with a kind smile. "It's been some time."

"Some time?" The woman scoffed, still looking shocked to see him. "It's been nearly forty years. I thought that maybe you forgot about Kine'e….and me."

"I could never forget you. Or Kine'e for that matter," he said with a small smile.

Lydka scurried around the bar and pulled Kacien into a sudden, strong embrace. "You haven't aged a day," she said, giving him a long hard look before gazing over at Orla and Wren. "You have found yourself interesting company," she said. "A child and a wolf."

A smirk tugged at Kacien's lips. "Lydka," he said. "This is Wren from Greystorm. Wren is suffering from a bit of transformative magic. And this is Orla, my daughter."

Orla was surprised to hear Kacien introduce her as his 'daughter'. Lydka looked equally surprised by the introduction.

"It's nice to meet you," said the innkeeper. "What brings you all to Kine'e?"

"We're heading to T'esmunda."

"Oo," Lydka made a scowl. "This time of year? The snow will be terrible there."

"We're going to see Ombu," Kacien explained further.

"Well," Lydka said. "I suppose you all are looking for a room for the evening."

"Two rooms," Kacien said.

"Sorry, dear," Lydka said. "You should know better than to come here during Fhyre festival. We've only got one room left."

"Fhyre festival?" Orla asked.

"Your father didn't tell you?" asked the innkeeper. "Fhyre festival is the biggest celebration in Kine'e. People come from all around to see it."

"What is it?" Orla asked her.

Lydka smiled mischievously. "Oh dear, you are in for something special." She glanced up at Kacien. "You should really bring everyone out to the clearing tonight for the celebration. There's nothing quite like like it."

Kacien nodded but said nothing. Lydka handed him a large iron key and gestured up the staircase in the back.

"Because of the festival, our kitchen and bar will be closed," she added. "I hope you understand."

Kacien waved off the remark. "We will be just fine. Thank you, Lydka."

With that, Kacien lead the others through the inn and up the stairs. A collection of rooms sat on the second and third floor. From within the hall, they could hear the quiet movement of others in the room.

"How do you know her?" Orla asked as Kacien opened the door to one of the rooms on the third floor.

"From a time, I had nearly forgotten," was all he said.

The room at the inn was small but comfortable. One bed was pushed up against a wall and a small wood stove sat against the furthest wall. A thick, colorful carpet was sprawled on the ground beside the stove.

Orla dumped her satchel and cloak to the ground and sprawled onto the bed. Her body was exhausted from the days of travel. She had never felt so sore in her life. However, her mind was still running wild with the idea of the Fhyre Festival. She had never seen a festival before.

"I'll start a fire to stay warm for the night," Kacien offered as Wren laid down on the soft rug beside the stove.

"But we're not going to sleep now, are we?" Orla asked, sitting up in bed. S

"We have a long day tomorrow-"

"But the festival," Orla continued. "Lydka said it was like nothing else in the world."

Kacien let out a long sigh as he gazed over at her.

Wren was surprised by what she saw at the clearing. The clearing was a large field that had been decorated in a collection of colorful and strange décor. Large ice sculptures sat scattered around, draped with ribbons and dried flowers.

Wren stared at a large wolf sculpture as they passed through the clearing. The wolf had been carved from ice and decorated in pink ribbons. Instead of being ferocious, it looked wise and kind. Wren found it to be a strange depiction.

In the clearing, along with the décor, was all manner of creature. Magical and non-magical creatures alike, sipped spiced wine and laughed together. A large fire had been started in the center of the field and was not occupied by a large number of beings.

Wren was so caught up in looking around at her surroundings that she got quickly separated from Orla and Kacien. She was surprised when she saw Lydka striding towards her.

"Wren, was it?" Asked Lydka.

Wren nodded to the older woman beside her.

"Kacien said you were from Greystorm. It's a beautiful town. I miss being near the sea like that." Lydka said.

"It is beautiful," Wren agreed. "How long have you been in Kine'e?"

"Oh, a long while," she said. "I moved here when I was not much older than Orla." Her dark eyes glanced out to where Orla stood near a fire with a ribbon in her hand.

Kacien had taken her other hand and twirled her in a circle.

"I used to travel more...but in recent years I've been enjoying a simple life here," Lydka continued, still watching Kacien and Orla.

Wren nodded. She understood. The bakery had been her chance to start over. Her chance to break free from life as a Hunter.

"I really never thought I'd see Kacien again," Lydka said. "He used to come around these parts more frequently. We used to be...quite close."

"What happened?"

Lydka shrugged and sipped her spiced wine. "I got older. I fell in love with the blacksmith here and eventually bought the inn from my mother. I had a family and... you know the rest."

"And Kacien stopped coming because you grew older?"

Lydka laughed. "No, not entirely, anyway. I imagine he stopped coming because Inkwell is dying."

Wren froze. "What?"

"Can't you read the signs? Can't you smell death? Inkwell has been shrinking for centuries now, dying slowly. I knew it was coming...then just the other night a Sprite told me about a forest fire in the heart of Inkwell."

Suddenly, Wren's stomach felt uneasy. "Oh?" was all she could say, pretending she didn't know the source of the forest fire.

Lydka nodded slowly. "The age of Elementals is leaving us. There are fewer and fewer left. Kacien has pulled away from all his allies...because he's dying with his forest."

"But...forests burn and come back. It doesn't mean that Inkwell will disappear."

Lydka gave Wren a sad look. "Perhaps you're right," she said. "But I'm not the one who controls those things. If Kacien sees that his forest is dying and hasn't done anything to stop it then he's accepted his fate."

Wren looked out into the scattered crowds of people. Kacien still danced with Orla as they stood beside a group of Bards playing an old tune. He didn't look like he was dying. In fact, he looked very much alive as he smiled down at Orla.

The uneasy feeling in Wren's stomach was turning quickly to a terrible sensation.

"Do you think the wildfire...weakened Inkwell?"

"No," Lydka said. "I think it weakened Kacien."

Guilt pulsed through Wren's veins.

"I will say," Lydka continued. "Orla is a bit of a surprise. I never imagined him as the fatherly type."

Wren watched as Orla danced near the fire. "She's a kind girl," Wren said.

Before Lydka could respond a loud bell chime echoed across the clearing. "Oh," Lydka said delighted. "It's beginning."

The festival began with a group of jugglers who tossed bags of powder into the fire, making the fire change to different colors. As the fire's color shifted, the music became louder. People of Kine'e danced to the music, twirling ribbons in the air.

The music consisted of ancient songs that made Wren feel as though she was in a story of old. They sang about battles, sacrifice, and love. For a moment, Wren just sat back and enjoyed.

The music grew more intense with the beating of three large deer-skin drums. Wren felt the pulse traveling through the ground below her.

In an instant, the fire grew larger before taking to the skies. The fire twisted and turned, transforming into different shapes. The fire morphed into a school of fish, then a eagle, then a stallion, and finally it crashed into the ground.

Darkness fell upon the festival. The music stopped as soon as the fire disappeared.

The crowd of festival goers cheered.

A juggler walked back to the bonfire pit and relit a much smaller, calmer fire. The festivities continued.

The festival lasted for hours. People danced, painted their faces, and sang ancient songs about the longest night of the year. Wren was shocked to see Goblins, Trolls, and even a Sprite enjoying themselves alongside non-magical Mortals.

Wren laughed to herself, thinking about what her mother would think if she had been there. Arlena might've had a heart attack knowing that so many magical creatures lived alongside Mortals. As she thought about her mother, Wren was approached by Kacien and Orla.

Orla's face had been painted to look like a Lunar Moth and her hair had been decorated with red ribbons.

"We thought we lost you," Orla said, twirling and showing off her hair. "Doesn't it look pretty?"

"You must've not been too worried about losing me," Wren joked. "It looks beautiful."

Kacien gave a small smirk to Wren. "We did look for you," he pointed out. "Or at least we did until we made it to the woman selling ribbons. Orla got a bit...distracted there."

Wren sat back on her haunches and watched a group of people dancing together. Dancing. It was something she had so secretly enjoyed. Arlena loathed dancing but Wren had loved it. She danced when she baked and when she cleaned. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to dance with the people of Kine'e.

Orla took to dancing beside the fire, laughing as her skirts twirled in a rainbow of colors. Her cat ran beneath Orla's feet, wanting to join in. Beside them, two women danced with long sticks with a flame on each end. They twirled the fire staffs in a way that created strange shapes in the dark skies.

"I didn't think I would see another Fhyre festival," Kacien said so quietly that Wren nearly didn't hear him.

"It's beautiful," she said.

Kacien nodded. His eyes glued to Orla. In the firelight, Wren saw a strange sorrow in his face. She looked back at Orla and her cat.