CHAPTER 17 – THE FESTIVAL


    Meanwhile, back at the village, Axion found Queen Adyána sitting in the tent. He knelt down beside her and asked, “Would you like to go for a walk, Mother?” She shook her head, but Axion persisted, “Come on, it will do you good to get some fresh air.”


    He helped her up out of the chair and escorted her outside. There waiting in front of the tent for her was Euphrati. Axion introduced them to each other, and Queen Adyána now realized how Axion had come to get over his grief so quickly. Euphrati was beautiful: elegant eyes, rosy-red cheeks, and frizzy black hair, as if her hair had been slowly emitting a simmer of heat just like the mountain landscape. Adyána admired Euphrati, she was young, she was gorgeous, and she was in love.


    “Mother, we would both like it…if you joined us…” proposed Axion.


    “Join you where?” examined the queen.


    “There is a festival just in town, we would like it if you came with us…it is a village tradition…and I know the entire town would be honored if you took part in the festivities…” explained Euphrati.


    “I don’t know…” Adyána hesitantly said before catching Axion’s eyes and giving into the will of her oldest son, “…I suppose I could, just for a little while. Where is your brother?”


    “I had asked him to come, but he shrugged it off and left for a hike,” informed Axion.


    “I’m worried about him, Axion. He seems very troubled…” proclaimed Queen Adyána.


    “Yes, I have had similar thoughts, Mother. But for now, let us go enjoy the night,” requested Axion as the three of them walked off to the festival.


    Each one of them took to different parts of the Festival. Axion found one of the sporting booths. It was an archery contest. There were nine other contestants besides Axion. In the first round, only four of them hit the inside circle of the target. Axion was one of them. In the second round Axion was the only one to hit bullseye. He along with the closest runner-up advanced to the final round. The runner-up went first and hit the bullseye perfectly. Axion took a deep breath, loaded the arrow into his bow, looked up at the sky, mumbled some words underneath his breath, took a steady aim, and fired the arrow. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    It soared through the air steadily and accurately, and upon contact, stuck the bullseye over the other arrow causing it to unwedge itself and fall to the ground. The crowd cheered in wonder and excitement. The competitor conceded and shook Axion’s hand in very high regard. Axion was awarded a medal for his winnings and left the contest booth an accomplished man. He wondered how many of the townsfolk knew his true identity. Their arrival to Ashtown wasn’t exactly announced. That would have defeated the point of the retreat.


    Queen Adyána took to the food stand and tried the native cuisine of the village. After she feasted on a fire-roasted mutton chop, she was presented with an apple tart. She had eaten apple pie and apple muffins before in her kingdom’s esteemed kitchen, but never like this. The apples were rich with flavor. The glaze was sweet and savory. The pastry that it was wrapped in was crunchy and flaky. She licked her lips in satisfaction and made sure to let the cooks know how incredible their food was.


    As Adyána was eating some other snacks on a picnic table, Euphrati had wandered out onto the dance floor right next to her. She danced by herself to a band of mandolins. Adyána watched on and her heart grew for Euphrati. She was so graceful and seemed to glide on the floor as she twirled around on her barefoot toes. Axion returned after winning his contest and sat by his mother, and they both regarded Euphrati, mother and son, two of the same mold.


    Soon the entire festival had circled around Euphrati dancing. Her hips and arms moved in rhythm similar to a flame in the wind. Queen Adyána nudged Axion to join her. Axion was no dancer, but he did want to be with her. He got to his feet and swallowed his pride. There was no other woman in the world he would do this for. Axion slowly approached her. As she spun around and saw him, she tripped on herself, lost her balance, and began to fall. Axion caught her in his arms, lifted her back up, and then spun her back around to her feet. He didn’t realize he had that in him. Euphrati’s eyes sparkled. She would remember this moment forever. The crowd clapped.


    Together, the two of them moved to all four corners of the floor, back and forth, in perfect groove and balance with each other. Axion never felt, nor had he ever danced like this before. Queen Adyána looked on with tear-filled eyes. She was so happy that her son had found Euphrati. He deserved to love someone the way that she had loved his father. Adyána’s overwhelming sadness from being reminded of her love with the fallen king practically disabled her. She left the festival, unnoticed, and went back to her tent to wallow in her own despair and loneliness. No one could understand or relate to her and that was driving Adyána crazy. A condition she unwittingly shared with her youngest son.


    Axion and Euphrati danced until the festival was over. They were lost in each other’s embrace. Axion never wanted this feeling to end. But soon it was pitch-black, and his mother had vanished. Axion no longer felt the way he did in the middle of the dance floor. He regretted not noticing his mother’s disappearance and was scared to go back to the tent to find her. Instead, he sat with Euphrati alone on the picnic table staring at the stars. He could not help but gloat to Euphrati, as a nightcap, in vivid detail, over how he won the archery contest.


    The night concluded out in the forest as well. Mitakahn returned from his hike, still thinking about that majestic hawk that flew into his life; Axion bid goodnight to Euphrati, and they both went to bed. Axion joined Mitakahn and entered the tent. He told Mitakahn all about the day’s events, their mother joining in the festivities, his archery winnings, of course, and Euphrati’s dancing. The two princes found their mother inside, sound asleep, in her room at the far end of the tent. Mitakahn went to his room and was able to fall asleep after a trying day of both physical and emotional exertion.