Day 13: The feast

[voidtreckermods]

Preparations

Preparations for the feast start early in the morning. The smell of cooking is everywhere, people hurry back and forth with arms full of plates or chairs or other such things. The citizens of Culin’e’ai and their helpers are encouraged to rest and recover, especially those who were fighting to the end.

However the people of Um'i'les are a practical bunch and so they will not turn down help if it is offered. They understand the wish to keep busy. Bunting needs to be hung, tables set in one of the large halls and torches lit in the great courtyard.

Those with a love of cooking could try and get into one of the many kitchens of the city, it will take patience or stubbornness to convince cooks to let them help though.

Remarkably the weather has stayed dry for the day, the sun even makes an appearance just before noon. The food is all being laid out in one of the great halls, pies, breads, soups, a whole pig. There is a lot of food, made by as many in the city that volunteered to help cook.

The feast itself is outside in a courtyard, there is not a hall large enough for everyone! Bunting has been hung, there are braziers set around with blankets available for anyone injured, ill or just feeling the cold. There is a small dais at one end and once everyone has gathered a bearded man steps up.

Obligatory speech

"Citizens of Culin’e’ai and Um'i'les and those of lands far from here. Today is a day for celebration, a day of victory. Goblins shall no longer plague our lands and de..."

An old woman, hunched over and clutching her cloak around her has made her way to the front.

"Terrible. Terrible that Um'i'les burned. So sad. All the children dead on the road. The people burned in their houses. Mourn them!" Her voice was not strong, but it was high, piercing.

The man looked uncomfortable and confused. "You are confused. No one burned, except the goblins. The children are safe. They are here."

The woman looked almost affronted, looking around at the faces of the citizens of both cities. "No. They should be dead, I saw. I saw... It's never been wrong..."

A young man has pushed through the crowd and puts his arm around her shoulder, leading her off to the side to sit at one of the braziers, she mumbles to herself about fire.

The man on the dais takes a moment to recover. "Ah... Let us remember those of us who have fallen, not just these last few days but in the past wars with the goblin nations. Let us thank those who fought, both of Culin’e’ai and our visitors who arrived with fortuitous timing. Please eat and drink and be alive."

There's applause and the feast begins.

Feasting

There is a lot of food and drink. Barrels of whisky are brought out and glasses are kept topped up. For those that don't want whisky and the many children there is a berry drink that is sweet and refreshing.

The dais is taken over by musicians. There is no set order to music, anyone with an instrument or a voice can take the stage to entertain the crowds. For despite the harshness of the land, or perhaps because of it. The people of Culin’e’ai and Um'i'les know how to celebrate. Groups of young people start a dance and will pull anyone who looks physically able up to dance with them.

Celebrations go on into the night, though the hall everyone's been staying is kept quiet for those who wish to go and rest.

Departure

Early the next morning the train emblem on everyone's Safety Control Apparatus glows with the colours of the void, hopefully they manage to duck out of the way of any citizens before reading the message. Leave by the Northern gate, the Voidtrecker express is waiting.

The guards at the gate let them through with a wave. Just over a small hill, out of sight of the city is the train. Doors open and ready. Once everyone is on board it sets off, flying up high above Culin’e’ai before there is the ever familiar shuddering and the view out the windows returns to the ever changing colours of the void.

Comments

[myblueskies]

Romeo rushed over to Joss when Joss beckoned him over and nodded. "I am. It's nice to dance even if this dancing is really different!"

He was a bit sad that Joss couldn't dance with him, but the best thing for Joss was lots of rest so he got better as quick as possible!

"Do you want more food?"

[dredefulchilde]

"I've seen elephants dance more gracefully," Joss teases, not unkindly, "But never with such exuberance. You look like you're having fun." And meanwhile, Joscelin is surrounded by excited humans, with their elevated heartrates pumping so loudly he can hear it over the music and the humming voices, reminding him that his current weakness is due to blood starvation. It's not fair.

Food? Yes, food. He needs food. That might take the edge off the hunger.

"Come join me in a piece of that fruit tart I just saw."

[myblueskies]

Romeo blushed a bit like that, because he had been trying his best! He just wasn't as good as Elfnein or Hibiki or the other idols yet!

He scrambled away and came back with some fruit tart. It was a huge piece, the woman had told him children polite as him got extra. He was glad, Joss was hungry and ill so he needed lots of food!

"Here you go!" He sat down close to Joss and passed over the tart, at least Romeo didn't have a heartbeat to further distract Joss.

[dredefulchilde]

No, Romeo doesn't have a heartbeat, and Joss appreciates that. Joscelin snuggles close to his friend as they both set to work on the massive slab of unidentifiable fruit and sugar. It's delicious, and sweet enough that he can focus on that rather than the gnawing pain and weakness inside of him.

Together, the two small boys destroy the tart in record time.

Joss washes it down with a swig of whiskey he'd purloined from an adult (old habits die very hard) and sits back with a contented sigh, feeling a little stronger.

"Right, then. Who's up for a bit of music?"

There's a fiddler with an instrument he'd have no chance of bowing with his short arms, but he can turn it on its side and strum it like a guitar. Unsteadily, Joss makes his way over and returns triumphant with the borrowed violin. After tuning it a little, he launches into a ballad that had once been quite popular...nearly two hundred years ago:

The Murder of Maria Marten.

[myblueskies]

The tart is delicious and so is the berry juice. The whisky Joss is drinking smells awful but Joss seems to like it so that's good! He smiled when Joss brought back the instrument, he didn't know Joss could play... whatever it was. He also had never heard Joss sing. Maybe he hadn't known before, when he had no memories.

But Joss was good, Romeo had never heard this song before but it was sad and pretty all at the same time. He sat cross legged listening to Joss play and sing. He swayed to the music and burst into applause when the last notes faded.

[dredefulchilde]

Joss had sung, and played, in the Far Shore, but never for Romeo. He doesn’t realize the oversight as he performs for the other boy now. Centuries of practice mean that he’s very good, with a pure soprano that hints towards his human origins as a cathedral choirboy.

He enjoys the applause once he’s done.

“Have any requests?”

[myblueskies]

"Your really good Joss!" He grinned and then frowned slightly, "I don't know any names of any songs... But I like lots of songs! Happy songs that you can dance to! Do you know any of those?"

He had heard quite a lot of music in heaven but mostly at training or Hibiki's shows. He could hum bits and pieces of it but didn't know any well enough to request.

[dredefulchilde]

Happy songs you can dance to?

Joscelin frowns for a moment, and then manages to coax a rock and roll riff out of the old violin. It’s an odd sound for A Hard Day’s Night, but a little Beatles never hurt anyone.

[myblueskies]

Romeo had never heard this song before but he grinned and stood up to dance, twirling around and moving his arms. It's not quite to the beat but he's trying, he even manages to encourage some of the nearby city kids to dance with him and soon Joss has a small circle of children dancing to his strange music.

[dredefulchilde]

The music helps Joss forget, for a little while, as he treats Romeo and even some of the children who had been so scared of him before to an eclectic mix of songs from the last five centuries, as he remembers them. But soon his strength flags, and his voice grows increasingly hoarse.

It’s time to stop.

[myblueskies]

Dancing is fun and the music is good but soon Romeo can tell that Joss is looking even tireder and returns to his side. "You should rest Joss!" It's important.

"You should drink some berry juice! I can sing for you if you want!"

[dredefulchilde]

The “berry juice” that Joss swigs has a healthy amount of alcohol in it and he savors the burn. That’s nice.

“What songs do you know? Are you just going to sing me Hibiki’s pop music?”

[myblueskies]

Romeo blushed slightly, pulling a face. "They're the only ones I know!" He'd heard other music as well in the heavens but not enough to know it off by heart. He had spent a lot of time with miss Hibiki, especially since Elfnein often sang and danced with her.

It was good to dance to though!