171 Festivities II (2/2)
Li shook his head. ”No, not at all. Old man, you want to head out?”
”The priests wish to see you,” said Ivo. ”The older ones. Remember the band I led with you on that nasty basilisk hunt? Some of them have come from travels abroad, and it has been years since they have seen your face and heard your obnoxiously loud voice.”
Old Thane laughed. ”I see why not, old friend. It will do me no good to gather dust when I am already so old. Lad, if you will excuse me.”
Li smiled. ”Go ahead, old man, meet some friends for once.”
As Old Thane left with Ivo, Li felt a deep sense of satisfaction. For many years, the old man had never once tried to reach out to anyone or meet with others, believing his life complete and over. Now that his days had more meaning, that tomorrow meant something more than another small step towards death, the old man could finally start forging connections and bonds again.
”And you two?” said Li to Jeanne and Sylvie. ”Both of you are young. Use your energy for something more than just sitting here like me.”
”It is always a surprise to remember that you are nearing thirty years,” said Jeanne with cocked head as she looked first to Li, then to the rest of the fields stretching out and filled with celebration. Night had settled in, but even now, the glowing little dots of gold from the Everfortune firework show still hovered in the air, suspended like sparkling gemstones amid a canvas of midnight black.
And upon this light speckled canvas, figures laughed and drank and ate and made merry.
”But you are right, it would be a shame not to enjoy this energy while it lasts, and that does look quite fun,” said Jeanne as she nodded her head towards the ring of Lupi.
Many of them had their regular workwear of baggy shirts and comfortable leather trousers roughed up with dirt and tears from their roughhousing, and yet they still maintained their energy, watching intently as a knight, far more capable than the usual others, held his own for a few seconds more against a short Lupi runt.
”If it is a test of strength, then I simply cannot back down,” said Jeanne as she stood up, stretching her arms out. ”I will be back in a minute or two!”
Li and Sylvie watched Jeanne happily skip her way to the ring, her head swaying from side to side in rhythm to the music flowing through the air from farmers that knew how to play instruments and from a few bards Li had hired not only to add music, but to spread tales of the festival through their travels as well.
When Jeanne neared the ring of Lupi, the many knights there, thoroughly bedraggled, beaten, and ready to admit defeat, roused themselves up, eagerly willing to engage in round two to impress the hero.
”She is not going to be back in a mere minute,” said Sylvie with a slight smile. ”She will get carried away by the energy, and before she knows it, so much time will have passed.”
”Well, if there was ever a night to get carried away, tonight is the one,” said Li. ”Speaking of, I thought you would go with Jeanne.”
”I do not do too well with crowds, nor do I drink much,” said Sylvie. She looked from side to side, taking in the festival as a whole. ”I much rather prefer it here.”
”An understandable feeling,” said Li. A shared moment of silence passed between them, and Li knew this moment, with everyone gone, with no real worries to deal with, was the right one to sort things about between himself and her.
Li sat up straight, his legs crossed as he put away his bowl of still steaming stew beside him. He did not look directly at Sylvie, but his words were targeted.
”Sylvie, how do you feel about me?”