The Ancients World

Chapter 297: The Festival II

{I want to let everyone know that I have a p-a-t-r-e-o-n with two new exclusive stories on it. One is The Aeternus Universe, and I've also started up a new VRMMORPG called the Libertas Dive. If you wish to read that as it develops, head to my p-a-t-r-e-o-n. I won't be uploading The Libertas Dive on web until I've reached 30 pages on it. So get it while it's young and cheap. I hope you guys will give it a chance. The link is https://www.p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/easyread. Remove the dashes. Web censors the word.}

{Apologies for missing uploads. I've been doing so much for my P-a-t-r-e-o-n and web that the sacrifice has been sleeping. I hope that many of you aren't upset.}

Sally walks down the road with me, and, I'll admit, it's nice to be free of wearing my hood. There are people dressed similar to us, and we blend in. Sally has her elbow locked in mine as we travel the road and see the decorations and stalls. I see players trying to buy things from some festival stalls, but they're being rejected. They stick out. Not wearing proper attire can do that. "Do you think we can try one of the games..." Sally lets out a barely audible voice, and attached to it is a question. I don't have to think about it long.

My eyes meet hers, and the same look that always captures my attention is given to me. My smile spreads across my face against my will. "I think we should play every single game we can. Let's make some great memories, Sally." I unlock my arm from hers, and I hug her with my arm instead. I pull her closer, and as I do, her embarrassed reaction makes my heart flutter. "You and me... We're more than just lovers... I never officially asked, but will you be my girlfriend..." I whisper right above her ear as I'm bent down so only she can hear me.

Her rosy cheeks and pointy ears are both performing their unique quirks. Her ears twitch just a little when she's really embarrassed or excited. "I'd love to be your girlfriend... Can I ask you something..." She's talking in a low whisper, and I give her a little squeeze in confirmation. "Will you be my boyfriend..." She's successfully caused me to have a blush myself. It's a strange feeling... It's a nice feeling, though. I tilt her head up with my hand as we stop in the road and people pass us by. I look into her beautiful blue-green eyes.

I lean forward, and our lips meet. The kiss is gentle and free of extra movement. It's calm and easy. Our eyes close, and we sink into the fulfilling sensation that it provides. At least, I think she's going through the same thing as me. I pull away, but before we can disconnect, she moves with me, so we stay kissing. I place my hands on her shoulders and carefully separate us, I watch her eyes flutter open, and she gives me a look that conveys many emotions. Ones that I feel too. I hold my hand out, and she quickly grabs it. Time for us to try out these games.

While Cera and Sally continue having fun at the festival, Hailey and Jasmine are in the process of trying to get some sleep. Having filled their stomachs, it's time for rest before heading out to the southern border of the Elven Kingdom. Hailey and Jasmine have come a great deal together in their travels. They found each other to be quick friends after Hailey found Emerald. They met for the first time shortly after that. Hailey is racking her brain with questions and problems that would make any person when trying to sleep. It runs in the family.

The ceiling above me is being lit up by the gentle flicker from the fire in the fireplace. I have a hard time sleeping from time to time. Ideas and thoughts keep me awake, and they mess up my sleep more often than I care to admit. Cera has the same problem that I do. There were nights where we'd talk and try to pass the time. "You can't sleep either?" Jasmine's soft voice comes from my side and interrupts my reminiscing. Her reason for having a hard time sleeping is nightmares from her past. That'd keep me awake as well.

I respond with a gentle hum, and she stays silent. "What's your brother like? You don't really talk about him." I don't respond immediately, mainly because I don't know how to broach the subject. She doesn't know that Cera is Slayer Zern yet. I'm not sure how she'll respond. She's religious and follows the church of light. In her unique way. "The only one I know anything about is Emerald." Speaking the name of her green-striped tiger cub causes her to pop up from under the sheets. Emerald makes her way onto my chest and lays down.

I reach my arm up and start to scratch behind her ears. She's purring in a fluffy ball, and it helps me relax too. "My brother is... Unique... He's someone that many would consider inflexible. Well, that's not exactly the right word. He's always sure of his choices, and everything always goes according to his plans... It's amazing to see, never seen anything like it." Cera is hard to understand unless you spend a lot of time with him, and if you try to draw conclusions early, you'll be wrong. He's not like other men. He's confident and sure of every one of his choices.

Jasmine might be able to understand him after spending time with him, but it'll be hard to communicate with him after meeting him. He's gotten easier to talk to since he's met Sally, but the hard exterior is still there. "That doesn't sound like you at all!" She starts laughing as she finishes her comparison. While it does frustrate me, I crack a smile too. It's funny in a way. "What about your mom and dad? Little brother too?" She's full of questions tonight, isn't she? It'll take a long time to describe them, but neither of us can sleep. Maybe this can help.

I should start with Marcus. He's going to be the easiest to explain. "My little brother's name is Marcus. He's the only child still with mom and dad. He's much younger than Cera and me. He's still developing his personality and ego, but I can tell he's closer to being like Cera. Not exactly, though." Mom and dad are probably the hardest ones to explain. Mainly because it's hard to about mom and dad. While mom and I reconciled, she's still emotional. Overly so, and dad spoiled me rotten, never knew how to say no to me. It caused a rift between mom and dad.

While talking about my family is bringing good memories, there's an echo of pain. "My mom and dad are great people but were foolish deciding to have 3 kids despite the financial situation in our home. My dad treated me like a princess, and it didn't have a great effect on my development. It caused a major problem between my mother and me... There was a point that I was almost thrown out... We've moved past that, but it was rough in the middle." Thinking back, there was a lot of blame on both sides... Well, all three sides. Dad spoiling me didn't help.

Jasmine chuckles at my story. It's has a sound of understanding. "I'd have loved to grow up with a family... I was separated from mine a little after my 6th birthday. I was soon captured and sent into the slave market a little after that... I don't know where my family is, and they probably think I'm dead... I barely remember their faces... I wonder if they'd accept me after all the things I've been through in my life..." This is the first time I've heard this story. It's incredible to see that she's come so far after everything she's been through. I'm honored to see it and be a little part of it.

I move my head slowly and look at Jasmine. "The girl my brother is traveling with was a slave too... She's half-elf and was a slave to the James family... Just like you... Cera has really fallen for her..." Jasmine darts her head at me and sits straight up. She has a look. One that's questioning the truth of my words. "Why is that surprising? Cera is different... Being an ex-slave doesn't bother him... It's really admirable... I've never seen him look at a woman like he does, Sally..." She moves her gaze from mine and looks in front of her.

She curls her legs up and is in the fetal position. She's thinking about something... Something really Important... "Do you think that I could ever find someone who'd look at me that way... Accept my past and look at the real me... When people learn, they look at me like I'm a leper..." It's not something that I can ever understand, but there are people out there. I reach over and rub her back in support. "I'm looking forward to meeting him." A grin gently spreads across my face. I watch a tear fall from her eye, and I hug her. She needs one right now.