Outside, Li sat on a mound of upraised earth covered by grass. It was nearby the celebration and high enough that it gave him a decent vantage point to see what was going on. Beside him sat Old Thane and the entirety of Triple Threat.

Tia and Zagan lay down behind them. Li had convinced the demon to come by even if he did not understand the concept of festivities. Underneath them, the Myrmeke played with Tia, occasionally making patches of grassy dirt shake for Tia to pounce on in a kind of game of whack a mole. 

"It's good!" said Jeanne as she put down her empty bowl of stew. 

"Can't say it ain't bad, though it's makin' me miss Aine's cookin' that much more," said Azhar as he also put an empty bowl beside him.

"As do I," said Old Thane. His bowl was not yet empty as he savored it by the spoonful. Surprisingly, even in the chilly night breeze, the heat of the soup did not dissipate, magically empowered as it was by the flesh of so many monsters. "Would it believe ye for me to say that this was Aine's favorite food? Least it was her favorite of what I could muster up, heh."

"No, I somehow do not believe that" said Sylvie as she eyed her bowl that was almost full. It was evident she was not a fan of bland saltiness.

Nor was Li, but his bowl was almost full because he simply was not hungry, nor would he ever really be. Instead, he spent his time eyeing the festival. The knights had assimilated into the celebration quite well, laughing and drinking with the farmers. 

Evidently, the older farmers of the old faith were quite the drinkers, and they liberally poured drinks for the knights in thanks for their service to which the knights, bound by honor to accept drinks from elders, gave deep and respectful nods before drinking themselves into silly but happy stupors. 

Some of the Feli, curious as they were, were pestering the knights to show them their armor and swords, wanting to see what they were like. The knights obliged, likely motivated by both politeness and a weakness to pretty women, and the Feli cocked their heads as they curiously bit into the armor and the swords with their teeth, making visible indentations into the tempered steel. 

One of the knights, a young nobleman, it appeared, by the fancy sigil of a hawk on his sword pommel, was jumping up and down in a panic as the harpy that had alerted Li teased him, taking hold of his likely quite expensive family heirloom and dangling it just out of his reach. The rest of the knights laughed at him, and the nobleman laughed at himself in good humor too.

None of the knights were ill mannered, regardless of whether they were nobleman, average Rivieran citygoer, or recruited from the countryside villages. They were all simply good and honest men enjoying themselves. 

"If all of you are done eating, why don't you go ahead and enjoy the festival yourselves?" said Li. 

"Was gonna' say, I had to meet someone real quick," said Azhar. 

"A girl?" said Jeanne as she leaned in. Azhar leaned back, and Jeanne raised a brow in surprise. "So it is a girl! Who's the unlucky lady?"

"Knock it off," said Azhar. "It ain't nothin' special. Remember the Feli that we rescued? The blonde one lookin' for her little sister? Well, she found her sister, but they've got nowhere to go. They heard from other Feli that their tribe ain't around no more, so they've decided to stick round' here, and since they only really trust me, I'm showin' em' round' a bit."

"Don't try anything funny with them," said Jeanne admonishingly. "Atleast not until they are comfortable here."

"It ain't like that," said Azhar as he stood up. "Y'know, I'm just wastin' time."

"It's understandable that there's yet to be full trust between the beastwomen and humans," said Li. "But efforts like those you're putting out now are what will grow that trust.��

Li nodded to Azhar, and the hinterlander took that as a sign of approval and left. He looked to Jeanne and Sylvie. "You two as well. If you want to take part in the festival, go ahead."

"Thane as well!" rang Ivo's voice as his figure trudged up the mound. 

"Ivo? What be your reason for coming here?" said Old Thane as he stood up. The two elderly men exchanged a greeting that Li realized was unique to the land of Soleil. They reached out a hand to each other's shoulder's and nodded. This world's idea of a handshake. 

"To bring you to the festival, of course," said Ivo. He looked to Li. "So long as I am not interrupting anything, seer."

Li shook his head. "No, not at all. Old man, you want to head out?"

"The priests wish to see you," said Ivo. "The older ones. Remember the band I led with you on that nasty basilisk hunt? Some of them have come from travels abroad, and it has been years since they have seen your face and heard your obnoxiously loud voice."

Old Thane laughed. "I see why not, old friend. It will do me no good to gather dust when I am already so old. Lad, if you will excuse me."

Li smiled. "Go ahead, old man, meet some friends for once."

As Old Thane left with Ivo, Li felt a deep sense of satisfaction. For many years, the old man had never once tried to reach out to anyone or meet with others, believing his life complete and over. Now that his days had more meaning, that tomorrow meant something more than another small step towards death, the old man could finally start forging connections and bonds again. 

"And you two?" said Li to Jeanne and Sylvie. "Both of you are young. Use your energy for something more than just sitting here like me." 

"It is always a surprise to remember that you are nearing thirty years," said Jeanne with cocked head as she looked first to Li, then to the rest of the fields stretching out and filled with celebration. Night had settled in, but even now, the glowing little dots of gold from the Everfortune firework show still hovered in the air, suspended like sparkling gemstones amid a canvas of midnight black. 

And upon this light speckled canvas, figures laughed and drank and ate and made merry. 

"But you are right, it would be a shame not to enjoy this energy while it lasts, and that does look quite fun," said Jeanne as she nodded her head towards the ring of Lupi. 

Many of them had their regular workwear of baggy shirts and comfortable leather trousers roughed up with dirt and tears from their roughhousing, and yet they still maintained their energy, watching intently as a knight, far more capable than the usual others, held his own for a few seconds more against a short Lupi runt.

"If it is a test of strength, then I simply cannot back down," said Jeanne as she stood up, stretching her arms out. "I will be back in a minute or two!"

Li and Sylvie watched Jeanne happily skip her way to the ring, her head swaying from side to side in rhythm to the music flowing through the air from farmers that knew how to play instruments and from a few bards Li had hired not only to add music, but to spread tales of the festival through their travels as well. 

When Jeanne neared the ring of Lupi, the many knights there, thoroughly bedraggled, beaten, and ready to admit defeat, roused themselves up, eagerly willing to engage in round two to impress the hero. 

"She is not going to be back in a mere minute," said Sylvie with a slight smile. "She will get carried away by the energy, and before she knows it, so much time will have passed."

"Well, if there was ever a night to get carried away, tonight is the one," said Li. "Speaking of, I thought you would go with Jeanne."

"I do not do too well with crowds, nor do I drink much," said Sylvie. She looked from side to side, taking in the festival as a whole. "I much rather prefer it here." 

"An understandable feeling," said Li. A shared moment of silence passed between them, and Li knew this moment, with everyone gone, with no real worries to deal with, was the right one to sort things about between himself and her. 

Li sat up straight, his legs crossed as he put away his bowl of still steaming stew beside him. He did not look directly at Sylvie, but his words were targeted. 

"Sylvie, how do you feel about me?"