Pleasures of Samhain

Rowena looks up and admires the bright sun. She is quite lucky for it to shine like such on this November 1st. On the day of Samhain. In previous years, she always only enjoyed the banquet part of it. She was deemed too young to participate with the bonfire dance. But just last month she turned 18. She is finally ready to join with the bonfire. Not merely permitted, but even mandated to. But that’s fine, she wants to join. She expects for it to be a very exciting experience.

Rowena continues enjoying the sun while resting against her uncle’s storehouse. Her brother went inside to collect 2 baskets of apples. Uncle Conway asked the two of them to collect those for him.

When her brother comes out of the storehouse, he closes the door a little too loudly and Rowena gets pulled out of her train of thoughts.

“There you go.” Rowen says. “One basket for you and another for me.”

“Great, that should be the last basket.”

Rowena brings her head to the basket and smells the apples. “Mmmh, they smell good.”

“Yeah, I made sure to pick out the best I could find.” Rowen replies. “Well then. Are we off?”

The two young adults each pick up a basket and head to the village center. As they follow the dirt path, they come across the local hunter. They see mister Maeron on a bench outside his home, enjoying the sun while he is fletching a few arrows. The siblings wave at him and remind him not to be late for the feast.

In the village center, the tables have already been placed in the shape of 2 banquets. One for the men and another for the women. The bread and the pies have already been baked and the meat has been cooked as well. They only needed some fresh fruit for dessert.

“Are you nervous?” Rowen asks his sister.

Rowena doesn’t need to ask about what. It is pretty obvious to her.

“Well, of course. It’ll be my first bonfire.” She answers. “I am pretty sure everybody is nervous for their first one.”

“Well, in my case, I am more nervous than in previous years.” Rowen replies. “See, last time I participated, I didn’t have any family members who joined as well. But now with you …”

“Yeah, that is the part that worries me the most. That and uncle Kenric. It’s why I’m considering staying on the path.”

“In all honesty, part of me wishes you would stick to the path. It’s kinda hard to think about my little sister straying.” Rowen says with some concern in his voice. “But then again, you are not a little girl any more. You are an adult now. So, if you feel like taking a risk and getting some excitement, then don’t worry about me and just stray if you want to.”

After their conversation, the siblings arrive at the village center. This is where Rowena needs to head to the left and Rowen to the right.

“Well, hope to see you tomorrow and not in the woods, big bro.” Rowena tells her brother.

Rowen smiles and answers, “Yeah, same here.”