Bastileborn - Dragon Fire Pt. 02

"Damn, looks like we're sleeping on the ground again," Plinkon sighed as they stepped out of the last inn that had turned them away.

"Not necessarily," Gavin mumbled as he looked up the street towards the fanciest inn in the village.

Plinkon followed his gaze and laughed at what he saw.

"The Mauve Pearl Royal Inn?" he chuckled, shaking his head. "Yer in hiding, Gavin. Unless ya plan to borrow some serious coin from yer father, we're not getting in there tonight."

"Well, the inn keeper's daughter has a huge crush on me. She's been begging me to dance with her for years... I might can barter our way in with that, somehow."

"Seriously? Talk about bad taste," Astrum chuckled as he exchanged amused glances with Wesley.

That simple, mocking comment irritated Gavin to the core. He grumbled something under his breath before he squared his shoulders and marched up the street towards the royal inn.

"Gavin, where are you going?" Thistle called after him.

"Let me work my magic. I'll be back in a few," he called.

"Well, what do we do now?" she sighed as she looked at Plinkon.

"Have ya registered for all the archery competitions ya want to compete in?"

"I have. I got my schedule in my pocket."

"Then we simply begin enjoying the festival. I think it's about time for a proper lunch. After that, the first parade of the week begins in the square," he said with a smile as he offered Thistle his elbow.

They walked together to a small tavern and placed an order for lunch. As the waitress brought over two roasted chickens, fresh bread, and a pitcher of mauve pearl wine, Gavin walked over to the tavern patio. He had a rather disgruntled look on his face as he joined them at their table.

"Well, my friends," he began. "I have booked two rooms at the royal inn for the entire week of the festival. They have free breakfast and free laundry services for their guests. Here's your room key," he said as he dug a large brass key out of his pocket and handed it to Plinkon.

"Damn, thank ya kindly, Gavin. What did ya have to sacrifice in return?"

"I have to dance with Sibyl Cromwell every single night of the festival," he mumbled.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Wesley noted.

"AND... so do both of you," he said with a huge grin as he looked between Astrum and Wesley.

"What?" they demanded in unison.

"It's not so fun when you have to do it, is it?"

"I completely object to this!" Astrum said as he stood and glared across the table at Gavin.

"Calm down, beanpole. It's not as bad as it seems. Sibyl is actually quite beautiful. She's just not fun to be around since she's annoying, clingy, and doesn't like dirt. She's been annoying me for years. Staying at the royal inn is worth the inconvenience of having to dance with her. I've stayed there a lot with my family over the years, but during the festival, royal families bring their own luxury tents and servants. So my family won't be there."

"How did you even manage to drag Astrum and me into the bargain?" Wesley asked.

"Sibyl has a thing for elves, so I mentioned I'm friends with two of them. That's how I got the rooms. I offered her dances with all of us. Trust me, the rooms are worth the trouble."

"What about me?" Plinkon asked, looking slighted.

"I don't think she has a thing for old dwarves, but you're welcome to ask her to dance."

"You only booked two rooms? How is that arrangement going to work?" Thistle asked in annoyance. She didn't like that the boys would be dancing with some random beautiful girl instead of her.

"Beggars can't be choosers, sadly. I figured you and I would have our own room together since we've been bunking with Nora for weeks already. The rest of you can take the other room. It has plenty of beds," Gavin explained with a smirk.

"I object to that," Wesley said as he glared at Gavin. "I should bunk with Thistle since she's my sister. It's more proper for her to bunk with family."

"She's your older sister, Wesley," Gavin interrupted. "She has more say in this than you, and Astrum is not allowed to leave you for any length of time. I sure as hell don't want him staying in the same room with her."

Astrum gave Gavin a murderous glare after that insinuating remark.

"Boys, listen to a wise old dwarf for a moment," Plinkon interrupted. "We should let Thistle decide the bunking arrangement. She is a princess of two kingdoms. That gives her more right to make the decision than all of us put together. Squirt, what would ya like to do?" he asked as he looked at her thoughtfully.

Thistle smiled and blushed as she thought for a moment.

"Gavin, how many beds does the bigger room have?"

"Four in all. It's a family room."

"Ah, that works out perfectly. I'll take one room for myself, and you boys can have the family room," she said with a smirk before she picked up a chicken leg and began eating it.

Plinkon burst out laughing at the verdict. The boys exchanged dejected looks.

"Fine... the princess has spoken," Gavin sighed as he picked up his own chicken leg and began eating.

After lunch, they gathered on the outskirts of the square to watch the Fire and Wine opening parade. Hundreds of brightly dressed dancers and minstrels flooded the square to perform a magnificent dance under a rain of mauve-colored rose petals. There were so many petals being tossed in the air, the entire square smelled of roses. Bright red, yellow, and mauve-pink were the official colors of the festival.

Men and women in fine clothing were walking around the parade's outer edge, carrying trays full of small cups made from melted sugar and beeswax. The candy cups were filled to the brim with the famous Mauve Pearl Festival Wine. Gavin waved over one of the women and collected five of the drinks for everyone. Then he raised his cup for a toast.

"Here's to freedom, fun, and the best damn wine humans have to offer," he announced before he drained his cup.

Everyone agreed and drained their cups as well. Thistle watched in astonishment as Gavin and Plinkon promptly began eating their cups.

"What in the world?" she chuckled.

"They're wine-flavored candy. Try it," Gavin said with his mouth full.

"How wonderful!" she laughed and bit a delicious chunk out of her cup.

"Hey, Gavin," Plinkon began in a curious tone. "Don't the royals ride around on horseback in the opening parade?"

"Yeah, it's tradition. I've done it before. Why do you ask?" he mumbled with his mouth full.

"Because I think yer parents are about to pass us."

"Shit!" Gavin gasped as he dropped to the ground and crawled behind Plinkon to hide.

Thistle, Wesley, and Astrum were bent with laughter at his behavior. They quickly straightened up and bowed politely as Duke Arum Runesteel and Duchess Beverly Runesteel of Talfane passed graciously by them on beautiful white horses. Duke Arum looked at their mixed group curiously before he smiled and waved. It was rather odd seeing elves in the company of a dwarf at a human festival.

"Are they gone?" Gavin mumbled as he peeked around Plinkon's arm.

"Aye, but King Gregory and his family are coming by next," he chuckled, causing Gavin to quickly hide again.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he grumbled as he practically climbed under Plinkon's legs.

His cousin Eric was more likely to recognize him in a crowd than his own father since they often caused mischief together.

"My father..." Thistle breathed as she gazed at the high king of Luria as he and his beautiful family approached. They were riding on three gorgeous cream-colored mares.

"Thistle! Get down!" Gavin hissed as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ground next to him.

"Why do I have to hide?"

"Gregory will be looking for you. I wrote him a letter explaining my intentions to bring you here. You could blow our cover. I don't want to get separated from you before we can enjoy the festival."

"Separated? Why would we be separated?" she asked in astonishment.

Gavin looked at her sadly for a moment. He was hoping he wouldn't have to explain his fears before the festival was over.

"Thistle, I'm not sure how my family or the kings of Luria will react to your existence. We need to be discreet about your parentage in public. You could cause a lot of trouble for Gregory. We can talk about it more later. I don't want you to be sad about it. I'm pretty sure everything will be fine. But, just in case, I would like to keep our presence here a secret until the end of the week. Okay?" he asked as he searched her sad gray eyes.

"Okay... I trust your judgment on this," she whispered.

"Alright, you two, it's safe to stand up now," Plinkon said as he looked down at them and smiled. "Also, the qualifying archery tryouts will be starting soon. We best be heading in that direction to get Thistle, er... I mean, Judy Trudy checked in."

Thistle easily passed every single qualifying challenge the judges presented to her. She earned a spot in all the competition categories and would compete every day until she reached the championship. She was all smiles as she approached the judges to receive her competition tunic and be assigned a call number. She carried her numbered tunic over to her friends and held it up proudly.

"Number four?" Wesley said in confusion. "Why not give her number one? She did the best out of everyone."

"They never start with one because it's in bad taste," Gavin began. "They don't use two or three for the same reason."

"Aye, makes sense," Plinkon said with a nod. "I'm off to qualify for various ax-throwing competitions. Follow me if ya want to watch. If not, feel free to unload our luggage from the wagon and carry it up to our rooms."

Everyone hurried after him since no one wanted to haul luggage before supper. They cheered for Plinkon as he easily qualified for three of the four major competitions. The only one he opted out of was the ax melee fights. He refused to compete with loaned armor.

Thistle was getting extra excited as the sun sank in the western sky. The sacred fire lanterns were being prepped for their first burn of the festival. She and the boys were eating supper at the edge of the square to watch the party preparations. Everyone capable of standing was expected to dance under the fire lanterns with a cup of wine as soon as Cypress's Flute Hymn began to play. Colorful tunics and masks were stacked at every street corner for the party-goers to wear. In spite of the festive atmosphere, Gavin sighed in annoyance as he looked over the square.

"What's wrong?" Thistle asked.

"I'm looking for Sibyl. She gets first-pick for the dance tonight. I'm sorry if she picks me, Thistle. I wanted my first dance to be with you, but we may have to compromise. They do this every night of the festival, so we will definitely get a chance to dance together."

"I will be disappointed, but I understand," she sighed.

"Gavin! There you are! Are you trying to hide from me in the corner?" called a female voice through the crowd, causing everyone at the table to look up.

Thistle stared in amazement as a beautiful young woman ran over to Gavin, threw her arms around his neck, and planted a kiss on his cheek. Gavin cringed as she showered him with affection. Sibyl had beautiful red hair pinned up in a braided chain around her head. Her eyes were golden brown, and she had a lovely speckling of freckles over her nose and cheeks. Thistle thought she looked more like a pixie than a human, but judging by Gavin's reaction, she could have been a cave troll.

"Good evening to you too, Sibyl," Gavin said formally as he gently pushed her away so he could redirect her attention. "Here are the handsome elves I promised. This is Wesley and Astrum. Two of the finest gentle elves I have ever met."

They quickly rose from their seats as Sibyl turned her excited gaze on them. She smiled as she looked them over. Her eyes lingered on Wesley the longest. Thistle glanced at the boys, and they were both blushing under her enchanting gaze.

"My goodness... they are very handsome," Sibyl said bashfully.

"My other friends here are Thistle and Plinkon. Plinkon is a really great dwarf if you were wondering, and Thistle is a very close friend of mine," Gavin said with a smile.

Sibyl barely heard a word he said as she continued to admire Wesley, making him blush rather furiously.

"Uh, yes. It's a pleasure to meet you all," Sibyl said as she finally looked at them. "I hope you enjoy your stay at my father's inn during the festival. I'm sure you'll fall in love with it before the end of the week," she said as she smiled at Wesley again.

He broke at that point and smiled hugely in return. Sibyl had made quick work of him, and Thistle thought it was hilarious. Even Astrum was smiling at Wesley's embarrassment. Gavin raised an eyebrow at Wesley for a moment, then he turned and observed Sibyl. She was devouring the elf prince with her eyes.

"Oh! I see you found a favorite!" he announced in relief. "Wesley, would you kindly dance with Miss Sibyl under the fire lanterns tonight?"

"I would love to," he admitted as he stepped away from the table and offered his hand to Sibyl. She smiled hugely as she took it. Then they stood there for a long moment, admiring each other in the fading light.

"Oh boy... I wonder what Lady Ellora would think of this," Plinkon chuckled close to Thistle's ear, causing her to burst out laughing.

Suddenly, the town herald announced the ten-minute countdown to the lighting of the fire lanterns. Everyone hurried away from the table to collect a colorful costume, a cup of wine, and a dance partner. Thistle laughed with excitement as she grabbed Gavin's hand and pulled him over to a stack of red and pink tunics.

Once they were dressed in festive colors, they carried some fresh candy cups over to a wine barrel on the edge of the square. They filled the cups to the brim with stout festival wine. They looked around the square at the tall metal poles that held the magnificent fire lanterns fifteen feet off the ground. They selected a central lantern to stand under. Their hearts were pounding in anticipation as they held hands and smiled at one another. There were many couples around them waiting in the same pose with their cups close to their lips. Thistle chuckled when heavy drums began beating, announcing the steps of the fire bringers. They held blazing torches high over their heads as they entered the square. They marched to their posts under the large metal lanterns, stopping with the drum's last beat, and ignited the sacred lanterns in unison.

The crowd watched in amazement as the fire jumped into the sky over the square. Each lantern blazed upward with a roar of sparks, creating a magnificent swooshing sound. The lanterns came alive as internal spinning blades were propelled by the heat of the fire. The lanterns had carved-metal casings that began to rotate, creating a glow of dancing firelight over the square.

"Wow... the lanterns dance!" Thistle laughed in absolute delight.

Gavin watched her beautiful face with his heart pounding. He had never felt more excited in his life. He had seen the lantern lighting ceremony many times over the years, but he had never truly experienced its intensity until that moment. The glow of the fire danced across Thistle's blushing face, making her diamond-like eyes sparkle.

Thistle looked at Gavin and smiled. The intense expression on his face made her heart beat a little faster. She could not have imagined a more magical night, and it was about to get better. The drums began beating again as a flute minstrel paced into the heart of the square. He took his place among a seated group of musicians on a small stage. The festival herald signaled the crowd to raise their wine cups, and in that instant, beautiful flute music permeated the night air, sending the dancers into motion.

Thistle and Gavin were smiling as they twirled under the fire lanterns, often taking sips of their delicious wine. Thistle caught sight of Wesley and Sibyl as they danced close by. She motioned for Gavin to look. He smiled to see how absorbed they were with each other. He couldn't have asked for a better turn of events. He pulled Thistle close and winked before he turned up his wine and drained it in one gulped. She rolled her eyes as she continued to gracefully sip her wine.

"You better hurry. The song will end soon. You don't want to miss out on Cypress's blessing," he warned as he twirled her around.

"I'm not worried. Good fortune has already smiled upon us tonight, but just in case," she said and turned up her wine and gulped it down.

"You look so elegant doing that," Gavin sighed in admiration.

"Thanks, I find your drinking ability impressive too."

"I've had more practice. Drinking fast is necessary sometimes. You never know when you'll have to abruptly leave your cup to join a fight. Taverns are rough places."

"I see. Perhaps I can join you next time."

The flute hymn ended on a whimsical chord as the crowd erupted into cheers. Fragrant rose petals rained down on the square, marking the Fire and Wine Festival's successful opening. Fireworks immediately erupted over the village, filling the night sky with shimmering fountains of color.

Thistle laughed in delight as explosions flashed overhead. Gavin lost interest in the show as he gazed at Thistle. She looked at him to see his reaction to a heart-shaped explosion, but she caught him staring at her instead.

"Do the fireworks bore you?" she asked in amusement.

"They do when you're around," he whispered.

Her heart began beating faster as he reached up and touched her soft cheek. Then he did something she was not expecting. He reached up to her right ear and gently ran his fingertips along its length, sending a pleasant tickle racing up her spine. She shuddered all over from the caress. Then she looked at him in embarrassed surprise. He burst out laughing at her adorable expression.

"Sorry," he chuckled.

"What inspired you to do that?"

"It uh... came to me in a dream."

"Inspired by Cypress himself, I'm sure."

"Something like that. He definitely inspired me to do this," he whispered before he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers.

She smiled against his kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He smelled and tasted delicious. She didn't realize how badly she wanted to kiss him until that instant. They poured weeks of pent-up passion into it as they explored each others' mouths with their lips and tongues. The warmth it created was new and wonderful. They were both feeling the magic of that night.

"Gavin! What on earth are you doing?" demanded a disgruntled male voice close to them, startling them out of their intimate moment.

They broke off their kiss and looked to the right to discover Duke Arum of Talfane and Duchess Beverly staring at them with wide eyes.

"Shit! Run!" Gavin gasped as he grabbed Thistle's hand and pulled her through the crowd.

"Gavin! Slow down!" she laughed as they spun and twirled through the maze of people, trying not to knock anyone down.

They were both laughing as they stumbled out of the square and ran up the street into the open market. They hid among the vendor stalls until they were sure no one had followed. Gavin pulled Thistle over to a costume stand so they could purchase some new disguises. Thistle picked a shiny purple satin mask trimmed in black lace and diamonds for herself. Plumes of black feathers decorated the sides of the mask to conveniently cover her ears. She selected a red and gold-trimmed mask for Gavin. They even purchased satin cloaks to compliment their masks.

"There, now we can return to the square in style," he said as he tossed his cape over his shoulders.

"Back to the square? Is there more to do there?" she asked as she tied on her cloak.

"Yes, more dancing, drinking, and party games!"