SONGS, LIGHT AND TEARS (2)

14 Seedmonth 1007 AF

At dawn, the friends packed up their camp and mounted their horses.

The trees of the forest gradually thinned, and before long they saw buildings emerging in the distance.

They reached Bleeding Rock.

"Finally, a city," Helia said with a sigh of relief. Arial nodded and then instantly organize the group.

"Kyle and I will replenish the supplies," Arial instructed.

"Helia and Lisa, scour the markets and buy anything you think might be useful. We will meet back here in four hours."

Arial and Kyle quickly went into the marketplace.

The streets were crowded. Everywhere they walked, there were people announcing their wares.

Arial and Kyle stocked up on vegetables, meat and eggs.

From the center of the market, they could hear the sound of jubilant singing, and following the commotion they saw a minstrel performing lively songs, while all around him people danced joyfully.

The atmosphere was one of elations.

Arial spotted a banner, depicting a man holding up an orb of light, and he suddenly realized what day it was.

The Festival of Levitia's Homecoming. It was the day that remembered Levitia's return to the place where his village once stood.

Everyone celebrated the most famous hero of the Human Continent days. Arial forgot about it. He used to love celebrating this day, pretending that he is Levitia fighting the Demons Lords and executing evil.

It seems like a lifetime ago

"A festival," said Kyle excitedly. It is clear he wanted to join in the festivities. All around them people are dancing

"We're already behind schedule," Arial reminded him.

"One more day couldn't hurt…"

"Then we'll discuss it with the girls," sighed Arial, rolling his eyes.

They returned to their meeting place, and eventually Lisa and Helia approached, their hair and skin glowing.

"Where did you go?" asked Arial suspiciously.

"A ba-"

"A secret," Lisa quickly cut across Helia's words. Then they looked at each other smiles and nodded.

Kyle eagerly told the girls about the festival, and soon all three of them were pestering Arial to allow them to stay.

Exhausted, he gave in.

They found a couple of spare rooms at an inn and paid twenty coppers for the night, changed their clothes, and headed out together to join the celebrations.

Helia dress elegantly and Lisa tries to follow her style of dressing. They both were wearing a dress and Kyle is having the time of his life teasing her sister.

"Another reason why we should go to the festival" Kyle said giggling all the way to the center of the city.

The lane to the city's center was illuminated with flickering candles of every color.

All around them people were dancing, harmonious melodies being played by minstrels, songs of Levitia sung loudly and proudly into the evening sky.

The commonfolk dress in their best garments, thin woolen jackets with decoration in their heads

The people of the Church on the other hand sings the Hymns and the Gospels

Children ran around carrying lamps and swinging miniature wooden swords, shouting, "Levitia is returning, Levitia is returning, the demons are fleeing, and the Emperor is bowing!"

Lisa and Kyle became distracted by a seller promising the greatest sweets in the land, and Arial walked ahead with Helia.

"It's festive, isn't it," she said, gazing around.

"Hmm." Arial reply and they walked again in silence while the song and music plays in the background.

"Why have you never asked me why I wanted to become a knight?" Helia said suddenly. Arial contemplated for a moment.

"Perhaps I was waiting for you to tell the story yourself," he said finally. Helia paused.

"My father wanted me to marry West," she said.

"West Palais?" Arial stared at her in shock. Helia nodded.

Then Arial was reminded of the past.

No wonder she looked so uncomfortable in that table. West was there that night. But Arial also remembered that West look intently at his table that night.

But for some reason he didn't think West was looking at Helia. It was just Arial gut feeling. Maybe he was mistaken.

"I told my father that I wanted to break off the betrothal. West is so arrogant and full of himself."

"That's the same thing, Helia" Though Arial has also had an opportunity to be acquainted with West and he was not like that at all, at least not by his estimation.

"Still"

They keep walking.

Once in a while Arial spotted that Helia is looking around her, especially at kids younger than her and her expression would be unreadable, like she was thinking about something.

Helia wandered over to a nearby bench and sat down, and Arial sat beside her.

"And then?" he urged.

"Well, my father insisted that I reconsider. So, I said that I would rather join the Order of Knights than marry West Palais. He told me to go if I wanted to be disinherited. So, I took my brother's swords, my father's horse, and rode off to the Academy."

There was silence for a while and then she looks at the festival, looking at some father carrying their children on their shoulders as they laughed in happiness

Arial watched Helia's face and saw tears slowly streaming down her cheeks.

She was lonely.

Finally, Arial understand what she is looking all the while they were walking.

She is looking at the children with their parents. That must remind her of her father, Arial mused.

Arial shifted uncomfortably; skilled as he was in fighting and swordsmanship, he had no idea what to say in this situation.

But finally, he knew why she had wanted to become a knight; an act of defiance from a remarkable strong-willed girl.

Arial recognize then that this girl in front of him has a strong will to achieve her point. She abandoned the comfort of her home, just to make a point.

In a way, Helia could be impulsive. Arial recognizes that at that moment. Arial also recognize the fact, that Helia is lonely and miss her home.

Maybe because it is the festival of Levitia homecoming, it brought out this feeling. Arial suddenly remembers that Levitia when he was coming home had tears in his eyes of happiness.

Probably before Helia just like all the other kids in this festival walk around in their city enjoying this festival just like any other father and daughter.

He sighed

After a while they headed back down the road and returned to the inn.

Kyle was already snoring in their shared room.

Arial splashed water on his hands and face before falling into his own bed. Sleep greeted him quickly, and he dreamed happily of lights, songs and stories.

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