Open Chronicles The Valenntenian Masquerade Festival

[Lyta]

As the lanterns rose into the sky to join the hundreds of other flickering lights, Lyta found herself unconsciously moving towards the very prow of the ship so she could track the lanterns fully on their journey out over the water. Soon enough they became too indistinguishable amongst the other lights but she found herself still unable to look away from the point where she had lost them.

"This is so much more than I could have imagined..."

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

He could not help but feel his heart ache as the woman before him, dressed in elegance, staring up at the lanterns glowing in the night sky. The hour was getting late, but the crowds barely thinned. It wouldn't have mattered, for Mikko Cendrillon would stay here and watch her admiring the lights for many hours. Even if dawn came to break and the day washed them all in sunlight, he would insist lanterns be released each night and invite her here...

Hells, he wished he had his paints on him now.

Mikko smiled, chuckled, as he leaned forward and took her hand. He gave a light tug, coaxing her to move back towards him lest she crawled overboard. "The best view is to lie back as far as you can and look up." There was a blanket and soft cushion behind him, and he slowly moved so that he could recline and offered Lyta to join him, giving her the better angle to get comfortable to watch the lanterns as their boat floated in the gentle rocking of waves.

 

[Noi]

She might not have seen the collision, but she could feel it. Roki was successful, and therefore, Noi had her knife. The first thing she needed to do was done. She took hold of his staff and bristled, feeling a pair of eyes watching her before disappearing altogether. These eyes did not come from her head but from a place many miles away from here.

The docks, the eyes wept in her mind. She brought a hand to her own eyes, wondering if these tears were her own, but beneath them, she felt only dry skin. She pulled the collar of her dress out so she could peer inside. The eyes didn't greet her with their blinking; they could only weep. Weeping was such a strange thing, how could tears come out when eyelids were closed?

Noi would ask Roki, who was about to get chewed out by Cathal. His face was red from wine and anger. She placed a hand on his arm. He whirled, ready to give her a piece of his mind, but his face slackened.

"I think that red dress my wife wears does make her butt look big," Cathal blurted out. There was no shame nor guilt, just a small, pleasant smile of relief. "I wish she'd stop talking about losing weight. I hate her roasted chicken; it's always dry. Her sister is prettier than her, but my wife's cooking is way better. I'd be miserable if I had to eat my sister-in-law's cooking for the rest of my life; I don't know how Grant does it." His smile grew and he became more and more relaxed. "I'm not allergic to cats, but I prefer dogs, so I just say I'm allergic to cats, so my wife won't get one."

The moment her hand left his bare forearm, Cathal was fond of rolling up his sleeves, so he stopped telling his secrets. Cathal was a good man, Noi decided, if a little deceptive, but his lying didn't seem to be horrific. Why, Grania caught a liar, and they had admitted to such horrors that the philosopher had revoked his vow of all life being sacred after hearing it all.

[Let's go, before the boat leaves the dock.] Noi told Roki, touching his hand as she gave him back his staff. [Give me the knife and follow me.] Cathal was still standing there, oblivious to the young pair's exchange, eyes slightly glazed from the only ability that Noi seemed to have mastered.

Roki

 

[Lyta]

Lyta's eyes slowly drew from the lanterns to glance at the small, intimate space in the bow of the boat where a blanket and cushions had been set up. Now that she glanced to other boats she realised most of the occupants had indeed settled into these nests to enjoy the lights. A blush coloured her cheeks at her foolishness, then deepened further in colour when she realised just how close she would be to Mikko.

In the end she decided it was best to remove the gossamer wings she wore in order to better fit into the snug space. Even then she found herself having to rest her head upon the Vanguard's chest so they both had room to be comfortable. Not that she minded. Did she? Heavens, she wondered if he could feel her erratic heart beating against his side and grew thankful that in this position he at least had a harder time seeing her face.

"Do you want me to bless your wish, too?"

 

[Roki]

Roki gawked at the pacified man who towered before him, a palm open and in front of him, his knees bent low with his rear hand cocked. Knife there as he clutched at it.

But with blinks, he found himself again. Staff offered. He gulped. Gave her the knife and took back his staff. Glad to have its familiar wear back in the groove of his hand. A slow nod, and he felt his mouth moving. "I don't know what came over me," he said through the haze of his thoughts.

"I just saw the knife, and I acted," he muttered as he followed. "But its not the first time I've done something like that," he grinned with a bit of pride behind his mask. "You're very interesting, you know," he said. "A weird mystery within a mystery," he squinted with glee. "Wrapped within an enigma,"

Noi

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

Mikko tried not to kept too caught up in their closeness again. Last he held her almost like this, he had expressed his wish to kiss her, but was glad to have waited to do so. Not that he planned to at that moment! fortunate that she could not see his olive toned skin turn red.

"Well, you were the one that inspired my wish, Lady Lyta." He found himself grinning, carefully brushing one of her golden locks. "I think the rest of this evening you do not need to be a Guardian. I want to spend this night with just you, as Lyta... and you will have me as just Mikko." Unsure of what to do with his hands after that, he slung one over the side of the boat, lightly brushing his fingertips in the still waters. The other... well, he placed it at her shoulder, half resting there as if he would remove it soon after thinking on it too much.

 

[Noi]

She held onto Roki's hand tightly; her touch was surprisingly chilled when there should have been warmth. It was not cold and icy enough to cause alarm, but it was a temperature that was subdued until it was firmly in the middle. Noi felt his pride, and she also felt some pride in what they had accomplished. Every step brought them closer and closer to the big secret. She shivered, feeling some fluttery excitement in her. There were times when Noi couldn't feel any emotions, and there were times when she could feel some.

She knew the fastest way to the docks, and her step was quick. There was a long window of silence after Roki spoke, partially because she had to concentrate but partially because she wasn't sure what to say. Was she interesting? Yes, that was obvious. Was she a mystery? Yes, another obvious statement. Was she an enigma, however?

[You're wrong.] Noi spoke to him finally, through that singular link connecting their minds. [It's not me, but the Rune Stone of Silence. Not many understand it, but the Philosopher Grania tried to learn. Maybe I will learn, too. I am learning already.] She swung their clasped hands back and forth, her grip like iron but the strength in her arms and shoulders weak. [Many cry when they learn too much.] She looked towards Roki. [You like crying? What's it like?]

Roki

 

[Lyta]

"Just Lyta," the lady echoed, a smile tugging at her lips as he echoed words she had said weeks ago to him. Perhaps she should take her own advice and learn to separate the Guardian role from who she was at her core. It was easier to do when the stones rested in the tower, but with the weight of the Dream Rune pressed against her forehead in its diadem it was hard to ignore.

Her eyes wandered back to the skies and the lanterns that filled them.

"I used to make wishes on fireflies when I was a little girl. They reminded me of the lanterns, so my brother would take me to hunt for them in the summer. We would catch a jar full then release them with our wish."

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

What a memory to cherish, to remember as they both peered up at the sky. The lanterns did appear to float around like lazy fireflies, and the connection made him laugh. "You say when and where, Lyta, and we can go catching fireflies in jars." He moved his head, only seeing her head of flaxen hair, but still he smiled just for her.

"I'll make time for it. That will be my summer promise to you." He whispered to her. His hand searched for her own, taking it in his and giving it a squeeze.

 

[Lyta]

Upon feeling his gaze on her she looked up. In the lantern light his skin took on a soft glow that made his eyes seem somehow brighter and more intense. She found her breath catching in her throat at the sight. Shifting carefully so she laid more on her side than her back so she twined her fingers with his and gave up trying to stop the blush creeping over her cheeks.

"Firefly catching and sunrise painting sounds a fine way to spend the summer, Mikko."

 

[Roki]

Roki stood perplexed.

The Rune Stone of Silence.

The Philosopher Grania. The more he was given, the brighter his eyes seemed to shine. Like hungry flames, fueled by each bit of knowledge. "Oh,"

She swung their hands between them, and he squeezed back against her hard grip. His own strength, soft, enough to hold its shape, and feel the coldness there in her own hand.

"Me too," he said. "About the learning," he nod, and Thought on her words. "You don't cry?" he asked, his big eyes hungry to know more about the cold grey they saw inside of her. "Um, it's nice," he assured as they walked on.

"Or can be," he looked down at their hands. "Sometimes, everything just feels too tight," his hand flexed back, to emphasize. "Like there is so much noise inside, that everything feels like you are going to explode!" he said a little too loudly. Eyes widened, he gulped down his breath. Laughed a little. "But then, you know," he looked over at her once more. "It comes out, gentle sometimes, easy," he let his hand relax again, as he whispered. "And everything feels a little lighter," he said happily. "You've never cried before?"

Noi