Winter 4986, 26 Ginmoth - Winter Solstice

At Hamerfoss -like most places throughout the kingdom- the Winter Solstice celebration took place outside and after sundown. Two villages -one each from the east and west of the training facility- converged on the fortress to eat and drink and dance under a massive awning lined with lights. For one night a year, the Paladins and Squires all wore their dress uniforms and mingled freely with the commoners in their holiday finest.

The previous year had been Shon's first, and though he enjoyed listening to the music and watching the others dance, he'd regretted not bringing his journal to draw as he watched. This year he remembered and also had a new pad of parchment specifically for drawing -given to him that very morning as his holiday gift from Mika, one of the senior Squires who would be taking his oath in the next few months.

His greatest fear -as he walked out of the fortress with his supplies and adjusted the high collar of his dress uniform for what felt like the tenth time already- was that he wouldn't be left alone this year. Ryuuko was already drawing far too much unwanted attention. The little pseudodragon preened on Shon's shoulder, well aware that most of the whispers the villagers tried to hide behind their hands were directed towards it.

Once one little boy mustered up the courage to address Shon directly, it was like a flood gate had opened. He found himself surrounded by eager strangers, all trying to ask their questions over one another.

"Is that your pet?"

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Can I pet him?"

"What's its name?"

"Why's he all gray? I heard they were more colorful..."

"I thought they were just myths!"

"Where did you get it?"

"Will she bite?"

"Are they really poisonous?"

"I heard they were good luck if you saw one in the wild!"

"Are you a Mage?"

Shon stepped away from the throng only to find they'd started to crowd around behind him as well -trying to get a closer look at the elusive beast on his shoulder. He was quickly being surrounded and had no idea where to start answering any of the questions to get these strangers to leave him be.

Rerves' confident and carrying voice came to his rescue, "It's way more than a pet. It's a familiar." Rerves said to the crowd at large. He stepped around Shon and nudged Ryuuko near its front claws, urging the little dragon to climb onto his forearm. Shon sighed in relief as Ryuuko obliged, holding its head high and unfurling its wings to show itself off even more. Rerves pushed himself in front of Shon, letting Shon retreat further back as he answered the villager's questions and allowed the brave among them pet the rare pseudodragon.

"Shon's a Squire first and foremost, but he's also a Sorcerer, and Ryuuko is his familiar." Baradin joined in, passing on Shon's other side and standing beside Rerves to address the crowd.

As Shon slipped away, he heard one last query that had him ducking his head and picking up his pace, "A Sorcerer?! Is he safe? Aren't they dangerous?" He glanced over his left shoulder, seeing the swirling blue pommel of his sword, and beyond that, Rerves and Baradin shaking their heads. Presumably assuring the villagers that Shon's power was sealed and that he was perfectly safe.

Thom spoke from Shon's right, making him jump in surprise, "We've got you covered. We know you don't like crowds."

"Or strangers," Rehlien added.

"Or people in general," Zehler snickered.

"Thanks," Shon muttered to all of them, hoping they could feel the sincerity in the statement.

Kefir snorted as he joined them, "I take it you're going to sit out of the dancing again this year? What's the point in those yearly lessons if you don't even try to socialize the one night we get a chance?"

Zihler laughed and elbowed Kefir in the side, "You know Shon dances like a statue given life. Just look at this as one more partner we can ask."

The music started up as they walked together towards the small tables situated around the dancefloor. By the time Shon had found one that would give him a decent view of the action while still being at the edge, the celebration had started in full. Couples, young and old, civilian and military, made their way into the open space in front of the raised stage for dancing -or crowded around the long table piled high with food.

A jug of mulled wine and cups enough for each chair sat in the center of every table. Shon poured himself a glass as he took his place, laying out his pencils and new sketch pad. The others milled around him, deciding amongst themselves if they wanted to eat or dance first. Slowly his friends filtered away, and Shon scanned the crowd for his first and most important subjects.

He saw Master Veon-Zih bow low to a plump older woman -who blushed, taking his hand and letting him lead her onto the dancefloor- and watched for a moment as Master Daunas elbowed his way through the group still circling Ryuuko and the Squires. He took over with his booming voice so Baradin and Rerves could join the celebration properly. Sir Selibra stood with the Cleric, plates already full and talking with the Paladins stationed at the villages -but always keeping half an eye on their Squires.

Moving back to the dancefloor and sipping his wine, Shon finally spotted the ones he was looking for. After watching them spin gracefully to the music for a while, he put pencil to paper and lost himself in his art, hardly needing to glance up to get a second look, transferring the image from his memory to the parchment one careful line at a time. He sipped his drink as he drew, the music washing over and around him and the warm contentment of the holiday slowly seeping into his bones as he worked.

For the second time that night, he didn't notice Thom come up behind him until the boy spoke, "Jawsh and Mika?" Shon managed to lift the pencil before the start of surprise could mess up the nearly complete drawing. Noticing, Thom said, "Sorry," before taking the seat next to Shon, his plate full of steaming meats and fluffy cakes, far more than the small boy could possibly eat on his own, "It is nice to see them able to relax. Why them though? And why the entire page?"

Shon rarely dedicated a whole page to just one subject, preferring to fill each paper with various sketches of different expressions or angles, using them as a visual log for all he'd seen that day. And though Shon didn't show off his drawings, Rerves and Thom had seen enough of them by looking over his shoulder before they'd arrived at Hamerfoss.

"It's a gift," Shon answered, rolling his shoulders to relax again and refilling his cup before going back to work on the finer details and darkening up the lines.

"Ah..." Thom expressed knowingly, "But for which one?"

"Both," Shon answered, finishing up the first drawing and turning the page to get ready for the next. The music changed to a slower tune, and he looked up again, studying the pair in question as they changed their dance to match before starting again.

"They are leaving in a few months," Kefir chimed in, taking the seat on Shon's other side with his own heaping plate and looking over Shon's shoulder, though it was still too soon to see any of the details.

Shon just nodded in answer, but Rehlien added from Kefir's other side, "So this will be the last time they get to dance with each other most likely."

"There's a chance they could be stationed together..." Thom said hopefully around a mouth full of turkey.

"Doubtful though," Kefir shrugged, shaking his head, "Is that why you chose them? Or is it because Mika gave you that pad this year?"

Shon nodded again, but those weren't the only reasons. Looking up at the dancing Squires once more, Shon moved his pencil over to tap absently on the table and chose to elaborate. These boys were all his friends, after all, and even the weak alcohol seemed to make him more talkative than usual, "I envy them."

Rehlien spluttered into his mulled wine but managed to keep it from dribbling down the front of his white uniform, "I didn't know you were into guys. That explains a lot..."

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Shon made a careful point of meeting Rehlien's eyes before rolling his own, "I'm not." he gestured with his pencil at the two boys still dancing to the slow song, "I mean their relationship dynamics. They're equals. Both fighters. If push came to shove, they could support each other. One doesn't have to constantly worry about protecting the other."

"How much have you had to drink?" Kefir asked, inspecting the contents of Shon's glass, "I don't think I've heard you say this much about anything but fighting since we met."

Rehlien laughed, "He's still talking about fighting though. In a way." Shon just rolled his eyes again and went back to his drawing.

"So you're not into the whole 'damsel in distress' thing?" Kefir continued, back on topic.

Shon shook his head slightly in answer, and Rehlien poked Kefir in the arm with his fork, "See what you did? Now he's all self-conscious and back to silent cues."

"They get the point across," Shon muttered, and all three laughed.

They all focused on their food for a while and left Shon alone to finish his drawing, but Thom cleared his throat before Shon could turn the page once done, asking, "Can we see?"

Shon sighed and ran his hand through his hair but flipped to the first page, turning the pad so the boys could see the first as well as second drawings of the dancing Squires.

Zihler joined them then, slamming both hands on the table across from Shon and staring at the drawing, his face red and sweaty from his own dancing while the others ate. "Damn man, why didn't you join the artists at one of the Colleges instead?" he demanded incredulously.

Rerves slapped Zihler's back, knocking the air out of him, "You're just jealous because Shon's the only one keeping you from being top in most weapons."

Zihler turned just enough to gently swat away Rerves's hand before taking his seat, "I was trying to give him a compliment."

"It's a valid question,"

Shon turned in his seat to arch an eyebrow at Master Veon-Zih as he approached. Seeing the look, his Master chuckled and continued, "But know that even if he had, most of the Bards there would be asking why he didn't join a Temple with his combat skills." he grinned down at Shon, letting his eyes scan over the table to examine the drawings himself before addressing the Squires again, "You boys aren't going to dance?"

"Already did some," Rerves stated,

Zihler added, "I don't do slow songs,"

"Baradin's still out there, I think," chimed in Rehlien.

"And this way, we can see which girls already have partners and which ones are still waiting for someone to ask," Kefir explained, scanning around the edge of the dance floor for such potentially lonely partners. Apparently spotting one, he stood, straightening his uniform and grinning at the others, "We only get one night a year. Better hurry before all the village girls pair off." He marched off, Rehlien hot on his heels.

"Um..." Thom hummed nervously, looking around at the other boys.

He wasn't usually confident enough to talk to strangers on his own, but Rerves and Zihler patted him on each shoulder, Zihler saying, "Come on short-stuff, I'll be your wingman."

"That cute girl from last year's here. I'm sure she wouldn't say no to dancing with you again," Rerves assured his friend, and the last of the Squires retreated -leaving Shon and Veon-Zih alone at his table once more.

Shon pulled his pad back and flipped to a fresh page before taking one of Thom's leftover cakes.

Veon-Zih took Kefir's chair and leaned it onto its back two legs to watch the dancers, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you aren't going to dance again this year." He stated with a sigh.

"I like to watch," Shon explained with a shrug and started drawing again. Now that his two planned projects were done, he worked much more casually, scanning the crowd for inspiration and tapping the page with his pencil as he did, leaving tiny dots of graphite on the paper in a way he wouldn't dare do with a gift.

Master Veon-Zih sighed again, "Well... as long as you're having fun..." he let his chair fall and leaned forward, resting his arms on the table and whispering loudly to Shon over the music, "But you never know until you try. Dancing isn't that much different from a partnered kata. If you had the right partner-" but he was cut off as Shon let out an impulsive huff.

Maybe he had drunk too much. Shon reached for some meat off of Thom's plate while Veon-Zih looked him over, pointedly and very slowly arching his eyebrow at his student. Clearing his throat nervously, Shon said, "I doubt any of these girls are the 'right partner.'"

"And how would you know that?"

"Because they're still in their village." Shon answered, leaning back and running his hand through his hair again, "They're probably happy being safe behind their walls and protected by the Temple." Veon-Zih opened his mouth to argue, disappointment written clearly across his face, and Shon hurried to add, "There's nothing wrong with that. But I don't want to spend my life worrying about the safety of someone virtually helpless, who is supposed to be my partner."

Master Veon-Zih tapped the table but looked at the dancers instead of Shon when he said, "We're talking about a dance, not marriage."

"Yeah, but you said 'the right partner,' so why would I want to dance with anyone I don't actually want to spend time with?" especially when he wasn't any good at it, and especially when... "None of them could hold my hand long enough anyway, Master."

"You could wear gloves," Veon-Zih argued, "and they could end up just being friends, and that's fine too. I have plenty of female friends I love to dance with." he chuckled, "And male ones too if we're being honest. Though those are more like a fight for who gets to lead."

Shon shook his head and went back to his drawing, but apparently the food hadn't been enough to clear the light buzz the mulled wine had given him, and he continued, "You also like dancing." he picked up his glass on impulse but then set it back down, pushing it away before he added, "And it's not like I'm ever going to see these people again."

"As long as you're happy," Veon-Zih stated again. He stood but took a moment to pat Shon on the shoulder, "You never know who you might meet or see again in your future travels. Just remember to have fun once and a while."

"Yes, Master," Shon answered, then added a little defensively, "I really do like just listening and watching..."

Veon-Zih chuckled and actually ruffled Shon's hair in a way he hadn't done in years, "I know. I just want to make sure you know that it's okay to branch out sometimes too. You only have two more chances after this year. Better not to waste it."

The Monk left to rejoin the dancers, and Shon continued his drawings. Ryuuko flittered around above the crowd, sometimes diving down to fly between them and twittering merrily to itself as it did. Shon filled two more pages with more celebrants' faces and dances before his mind started to wander away from the people gathered here. He took a moment to watch some of the girls his age. Spinning in their fine winter dresses with his friends on the dancefloor, their faces aglow with excitement and general merriment of the holiday. But he wasn't really seeing them anymore.

He wondered if Lily was dancing right now. She would probably love it. Though he doubted she would wear anything as heavy as these cold-weather dresses. He pictured her in something lighter, form-fitting at the top but loose at the hip and flowing down to her ankles, better for her to move in.

Shon sighed, starting a new full-page drawing of an image only in his mind. Lily would probably flit all over the dance floor, with or without a partner. Her smile and laugh would light up the night better than the hundreds of lights hanging from the awning. And when she was done, she would pile her plate full of meat, completely ignoring the breads and possibly even the cakes. Or maybe she would focus on the sweets? He didn't know, as didn't have desert while she was here. There was so much he didn't know about her, and so much she didn't know about herself.

Her letters would be the only way he would get a chance to learn more. But he could at least imagine.

After eating, she might dance some more. Or maybe, just maybe, she would come and sit with him at the edge of the crowd and just watch. Maybe they would leave the bustle of the awning altogether and retreat to the sparring rings and stare at the stars again.

Shon had a rare pang of regret that he never colored his drawings. What color would her dress be? Scarlet like her scales? Or maybe a pale blue like she said she wanted to buy in her letter? How long before she got distracted by her new life and stopped writing? Shon set his pencil over the finished drawing and reached for his cup again.

***

The celebration usually continued until dawn, but Shon was one of the few who filtered out a little early. As he left the shade of the pavilion, Ryuuko finally rejoined him, landing lightly on his shoulder and purring sleepily in his ear. The sky was still dark, but the stars were slowly blinking out as the sun reached for the horizon, ready to start taking its place as the dominant celestial body after this longest night of the year.

A few of the other Paladins and Squires who chose to retreat early waved at him with tired smiles as they entered their rooms, but Shon didn't go to his room. He stopped first at Mika's door and knocked softly out of habit, though the young man was still enjoying his last Winter Solstice at Hamerfoss. Shon opened the door slowly to find a room exactly like his, perfectly tidy and devoid of all but a few personal belongings on the desk.

Shon worked the first drawing out of his new pad and stepped in just far enough to lay it face-up on the desk. He retreated quickly, heading two doors down and doing the same with Jawsh's room. He didn't bother to leave a note. Mika would probably know who left them and would tell Jawsh. And it didn't matter if they knew who had made the drawings or not. They were gifts for the two Squires to remember each other, not Shon.

With that task done, the night was officially over for Shon, and he finally retreated to his own room, though he didn't go to bed. Instead, he pulled out his newest letter, already long and made longer with little sketches in the margins and around the tops and bottoms. As Ryuuko curled up to sleep on his pillow, Shon added his newest entry,

'I hope you're having a good Winter Solstice. We all miss you here, but Rerves and Thom assure me that the celebration in the city is far grander than the small one we have here. I can't help but wonder how much dancing you would do if you were still here and if you would even find time for food. All the Squires are stuck in our dress whites which are far more restricting than our usual uniform, but they look sharp.'

He paused to draw Rerves in his dress uniform in miniature before continuing.

'Perhaps, someday, I'll be able to see you at Winter Solstice. Until then, find enclosed some sketches of the celebration here.'

Shon took a moment to carefully fold his other drawings of the night and slip them into the envelop he would use to send the letter later. He stopped at the drawing of Lily herself and considered it.

Working it out of the pad, he held it in both hands with a sigh. Opening his drawer, he placed the picture with his other personal belongings. That one, at least, would be something for him to treasure, as he hoped Jawsh and Mika treasured their own.