It was a lovely sight to behold. Golden lights hanging from posts decorated the paved streets with an amber glow while emerald and sapphire banners swayed lazily in the late summer breeze. Flowers were growing in patches along the walkways and chimes had been hung from some of the iron posts to allow music to chime as one walked along the path. Of course actual music and the voices of the crowds overlapped such faint melodies up ahead but for anyone walking around the outskirts of the festivities it offered a rather peaceful feeling. Yunan found himself enjoying such things rather than being in the middle of the swarming crowds, something which he found more annoying than fun. Interactions with others while necessary for the foundations of his business were not something that he purposefully looked for. On a night like this in particular with everyone celebrating the festival for the changing seasons, Yunan found it much better to just walk and enjoy the sights from a distance. If anything he had at least gone to purchase a couple of trinkets to ship back to Matori for his family before buying some food for himself though it was rare for him to enjoy meager street fare. He much preferred the fine dining offered at his current inn where he had rented out a suite for the duration of his stay in Belrea. It was nice though slightly tarnished by the invasion of a certain Matori bard, but Yunan had made certain to swap rooms soon after to a suite with a single bed. The man’s opinion of him having two beds had irked Yunan for some reason and so the change was quickly made to a higher suite level with a much larger bed that could easily fit two….if Yunan wanted. The thought brought a flush to his cheeks and the hybrid had to scoff at the fleeting temptation. He would never! If anything he was more annoyed just thinking about the bard and how the chimes seemingly reminded him of the trickster. They obviously sounded much better than the singer, that much Yunan kept reminding himself of as he tried to focus on other things.

Medical herbs perhaps? Crouching, Yunan studied a series of plants that were growing in a makeshift community box within the boundaries of the city’s park. It was strange that they had these elegant gardens that they called ‘parks’ for the citizens to enjoy with their families, but they did seem to be useful in offering a place for those who didn’t want to spend coin to provide for their children’s amusements. Children would run about and play in the fields during the day and others could even picnic by the large fountain that was near the center of the park. In the dusk when most families were already home and eating dinner if not rushing their children to bed, Yunan found that walking the park was rather enjoyable. Even now while the festival was thriving around the city streets, he could find some solace in the shadows of the park. His folmar, Dusk, walked by his side as a constant shadow and he worried little about anyone trying to take advantage of him for being away from the light of the festivities. “I suppose it is getting late.” Yunan mused quietly as he brushed a hand along his familiar’s side, “We could watch the lanterns and then retire.” He wasn’t foolish enough to place his hopes and dreams on a thin paper thing to send it to the skies but it was still nice to see the lights as they floated upwards towards the heavens. If he did feel a bit sentimental it would only be because his mother had enjoyed such things in Matori. She loved festivities and music and singing….such love had unfortunately filled his own spirit despite his best attempts to squash it out of existence. Such admiration had tempted him into getting involved with a load of trouble and Yunan could only hope that his investments would pull through in his advertising scheme for the medical shop he was opening within a few weeks. He just had to win the opinions of a few more sponsors in Belrea and then win the hearts of the public so that they would give the medicine from Tendaji a chance. Already he had worked to combine both Tendaji and Belrean medicines and herbs into newer remedies and fragrant teas and the like. Yunan was confident that his efforts would not be in vain as long as he kept himself focused and away from any temptations like the fools who flirted around in the festival going on tonight.

“Let’s head back.” Just the thought of foolish youth wasting time on love and flirting had turned his stomach. He would rather avoid the festival after all and could enjoy the lanterns from the balcony of his room. Yunan nodded once more before turning on his heel and leading the way back to his room at the inn.

[844]