The Lesser Repository by DaVaun Sanders

Author:DaVaun Sanders
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: karma, reincarnation, paranormal, afterlife, phoenix, arizona, blerd

CHAPTER THREE

Evensong

Palpo the merchant mocked the farmer, saying, 'O to be a Shardian prince! To have the dirt kiss my feet, the sheep pay me homage in their pens, and the trees drop fruit in my waiting hand!'

'Quite right,' the farmer agreed, 'A full belly and an aching back is the life for us.’

‘What is this aching you speak of?’ the merchant asked.

-from ‘Palpo the Merchant Buys the Belt’, an Ista Cham children’s story

Sounds of merrymaking floated to their ears as the two approached Wia Wells. Dayn could not help but grin, although the morning’s events still had him looking around every corner. He shared an excited look with Joam as the road carried them to the Wustl Square. “You didn't mention how fine the village looked.”

A simple place of sturdy wooden homes and workshops with thatched roofs, Wia Wells nestled around a square of wine-colored stone. Flowers of red and deep violet framed every doorway, and golden streamers crisscrossed the paths between booths built especially for festival traders.

“They must have saved the best decorations until now,” Joam marveled. The shops that enclosed the Wustl Square all sparkled with fresh coats of whitewash. To the east lay Elder Huwes the shoemaker’s shop, Sister Layren’s bakery, and a new clothier moved from Southforte by marriage who Dayn did not yet know. Brother Opram the smith had departed for the mines last season, so his windows remained dark until an apprentice could be found from a neighboring village. Jairn the gemcutter held a place next to the Elder's repository, where they stored the village histories and taught lessons.

“Do you see any of the Elders?” Dayn asked.

“I’m sure they’ll turn up,” Joam said absently. “You know there are offworlders, don’t you?”

“Offworlders at Evensong!” Dayn exclaimed. He peered at the crowd with renewed interest, missing Joam’s sigh of relief. The Dawnbreak Inn crowned the southern side of the Square, a full story higher than all the rest and painted a magnificent blue. Guests stuffed the village’s finest building to the thatch, judging from the people streaming through the front door.

“I’m surprised Laman didn’t tell you.”

A goodwife from Southforte swept toward them and dropped a garland of blue dayroses on each of their necks. She wore a brown dress and a moondrop necklace. More garlands were looped through her arm, white and blue.

“Welcome!” The goodwife’s long dreadlocks swayed as she hugged them both. She gave Dayn an appraising look, only to burst into laughter at his blush. “Oh come now, child. My hair has more gray than both of your parents put together.”

“Happy Evensong,” Dayn said. Gray hair or not, Dayn knew better than to mention her age. Evensong celebrated Shard's women, and one poorly thought remark could be cause for grave offense during the festival. Men did all of the preparations while their wives and sisters took their ease, although the women ended up prodding them until the decorations and such were to their liking. Which was much like every other festival, now that Dayn thought about it.

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