The Harvest Festival

Leo

Leo spotted her from a distance on his way to the festival. Bethie. Perhaps she would like to dance. His childhood friend... whom his father had whipped bloody and bare. Leo felt pain remembering it, though it must have been nothing compared to what the poor girl had suffered. His father was cruel and ruthless towards Leo, but he was even more cruel and ruthless towards those who were not his son and heir. Leo approached the girl, now nearly fully grown. She had been a few years older than him. She saw him as she went about her chores, but no expression crossed her face. 

"My Prince," the girl curtsied slightly and continued about her work.

"Bethie... Please call me Leo..."

"If my Prince wishes," Bethie replied, not looking up towards him.

"I'm... I'm so sorry for what my father did to you. I'm so sorry, I was too scared to ever find you and tell you how sorry I am."

"I'm glad my Prince never found me. If he had, his father likely would have hurt me worse. Maybe even killed me." Her bluntness and cool demeanor unnerved Leo. "I want you to see something, My Prince." Bethie loosened one of her arms from her shift and exposed the top of her back to Leo. The entire thing was a grotesque slab of scars and abrasions, all terribly discolored. It was a truly heinous sight. Leo nearly gaggled, but he caught himself.

"This is what being your friend cost me. I don't blame you, mind. You were just a boy. A boy who was the prince to a cruel king. I don't hold it against you, none. But forgive me if I don't wave you down as I see you pass by. Every time I see you, I remember how I couldn't sleep on my back without pain or walk close to the oven without feeling the heat on my bones. I would have simply avoided all that pain if I had never been your friend. Now, if you'll excuse my Prince, someone must bake your bread." Bethie curtsied and went inside, leaving Leo frozen in horror. Leo somehow hated his father even more than he had before.

Sato

Sato and Daniel left Castle Hill for the festival together. Daniel was wearing his suit that matched Luci's, but he had accessorized with the yellow sash from his previous party get-up to stand out. That it did. 

It had been a long time since the two had spent any meaningful time together. Sato was always busy training, and Daniel always off on some secret business with Luci, Lance, and Frenchie. They rarely got any time to just talk or hang out anymore.

The last thing they had seriously discussed was whether Æurean was an ancient earth, or a parallel universe, or maybe a habitable exoplanet. Sato wasn't sure, but Daniel was convinced it was a parallel universe. Too much was the same as Earth to be a coincidence. 

They walked down the busy bazaar, filling the main street of Hilltown. Every shop owner was out hawking their wares. Sato would have to come back later and look around if he had time. They walked out of the town gates, which were open for the festivities. They were heavily guarded, per Frenchie's order. According to Daniel, Frenchie was livid about the whole event. He wanted it canceled. He had lost that argument. 

A band of players was gathered around the well outside the walls. They included a little woman with a violin, an Avidian playing some sort of hand drum with a brush, an Æurean minstrel on a mule with a flute, and an Æurean with cat-like or fox-like ears on the top of their head playing some kind of bagpipes. They were all still warming up. 

Daniel said these Æureans were cursed by the Darkwood or something like that. Apparently, it was quite common in Kelton, though not nearly so within the village walls. Daniel wondered aloud if they had human-like ears too, and if their skull and brain were differently shaped to allow for the new entry holes. Sato told him he wasn't sure, but he could ask them. 

Daniel had told him that Frenchie had complained for many years that having the well outside the walls was a strategic blunder, allowing invaders to poison their water supply and cut them off. In response, a well was opened inside, and a barrier was constructed between the underground aquifers. 

Luci snuck up on them as was her way. She was definitely the silent and deadly type. She tapped on Daniel's shoulder, and he spun around, all surprised like. It was quite endearing. Daniel had wondered if she would wear a dress. Sato had told him she'd wear one if she wanted to. She was on duty and dressed in her usual suit. There was something off about that girl. Sato couldn't say what. 

Sato excused himself so they could have some alone time. Daniel had told Sato that he was going to ask Luci to dance. Sato wasn't remotely surprised. He had similar machinations. He wanted to go find Rebe. He knew she wouldn't be wearing a dress. 

Leo had told him that she would be coming straight from Gran's, and he had sent Bruno to accompany her here. That made him feel better. He had been so worried about her while he was away. He didn't even know why. Sato walked down the trail towards the music and dance, and merriment. He wandered the entire venue but didn't find what he was looking for. 

Sato had dressed in the same royal blue suit he had worn to the previous feast. He once again looked Leo's opposite. Sato didn't mind that so much. He was growing quite fond of the boy. Still, he had to tell him that he didn't have the heart for this violence that was expected of him. They would have to talk later. But Sato had other priorities for now. Where was she?

It was beginning to seem like every time Sato came to this place, there was some kind of party. The first two had been in his honour, but this one had more to do with timing. It was the last big harvest before winter. Sato had big plans to celebrate this time like he hadn't prior.

She saw many strange faces around the hill. He saw traveling knights, players, jesters, and journeymen. He even saw a beautiful girl in leather armour with green skin and orange hair. She was with an old knight. Her father he wondered? 

That was when he saw them, Bruno and Rebe riding in. Bruno was dressed in purple silks, much like usual, riding on his black stallion Kuro. Rebe was anything but usual. She rode in on a komodon. She was wearing a flowy green gown. It looked like emerald leaves woven into silk. The slanted skirt of the dress reaches down to her big brown boots. The sleeveless dress was beautiful, but that wasn't what made her stand out. Rebe's black hair was black no more. Her hair was a brilliant orange, like the leaves on the changing trees. The ends were still black, and splotches of darkness interweaved her head, but the change was metamorphic. 

She looked like some elven princess. Sato hardly recognized her. The look on her face was impossible to read. Contemplative was Sato's best guess at it. Bruno rode up to some of the guards and handed them his horse and Rebe's komodon. He offered to help Rebe down from the komodon, but she politely refused and hopped down herself. 

Sato took a deep breath and went over to meet them. Bruno took one look and made a flimsy excuse that he "Had to find Leo," and wandered off. Rebe rushed over to Sato and embraced him in a hug. 

"You literally won't believe the week I've had," Rebe promised. 

"Same. I spent a lot more time with Sakura than I expected," Sato nervously responded. Rebe stared at him blankly. Sato immediately realized that was exactly the wrong thing to say. 

"What? Why would you tell me that?" Rebe asked, confused. Sato quickly tried to change the subject.

"You look so.. I mean... that dress...your hair..." Sato stumbled. He could manage to finish any sentence he was so nervous. 

"Oh, this?" Rebe smiled as she touched her head of hair. She ran her hand through her auburn locks. "Yeah, I thought I'd try something new. Surprise. I was dying my hair. Not permanently but quite frequently," Rebe revealed. Sato had never so much as suspected. 

"I love it. I love your real hair. It's beautiful. Just like you in that dress," Sato finally managed to get out a few complete sentences. 

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself, Hero." Rebe blushed slightly. "Listen, I need to talk to you about something important," Rebe relayed. 

At that moment, the gathered group of minstrels, bards, and assorted players around the well began to play loudly in unison. Sato looked over to them and back at Rebe.

"I'd love to talk. Really, I would. But first, there is a mistake I've been meaning to fix since I got here," Sato stated. He stuck out his hand and bowed. "Lady Rebecca, may I have the honour of this dance?" Sato requested. His heart was pounding out of his chest. Rebe looked at his hand. She took it. 

"Of course, Sire Sato. I would be delighted," Rebe replied with an exaggerated curtsy. She led him over to the well where other townsfolk had gathered to dance. Then she led him in a dance. Sato wondered to himself if he should be leading, but he was too happy to be worried about something as trivial as that. He was so happy. 

"It's about time you asked me, coward," Rebe taunted, dropping her princessly persona. "Okay, so I need you to listen to what I have to say. I need you to promise not to get angry or interrupt. Got it?" Rebe demanded as they danced.

"Okay.." Sato hesitantly agreed. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"Good. Okay, so I went to the Darkwood and I met my mother, kind of, and my Aunt too. Anyway, my Aunt is coming here, and soon with an army to take the castle," Rebe revealed as she led him. 

"Your mother and your Aunt are here?" Sato asked. He was so confused. She had gone into the Darkwood? The most dangerous place in Kelton?

"Oh yeah... about that. So it turns out I was born here. Not just in this world but, like here, in Kelton," Rebe revealed. Sato was too stunned to respond. "The point is, this place is no longer safe. We need to find Daniel and tell Leo we need to get out of here," Rebe continued. The song ended, and so did their dance. Sato had been thinking somewhat similarly. The impending attack was all the motivation he needed. 

"Okay, you find Daniel and I'll find..." Sato was cut off. Just then, the herald sounded the horn, summoning everyone to gather for the feast.