They stayed together like that for a good half an hour, Li feeling the rhythm of her breathing as she leaned into him. He could sense her heartbeat, how it beat fast at first, wrapped up in emotion. But as the minutes passed, it slowed, and her breathing became more even, more calm, more collected.

The hurt had come and passed, and quick, too. Sylvie, despite being a young girl, was one who had faced many hardships in life, fought many battles with her life on the line, and, as a result, though in love she had not had time to become experienced, in processing pain, in understanding and overcoming hurt, she was a veteran.

Li had to acknowledge that even if he did think of triple threat as essentially children to protect, they were not fragile flowers liable to scatter in a strong breeze. They had strong roots, strong wills, and they could do what it took to survive and see another day.

Even as the festival stopped to a standstill for Li and Sylvie, it still moved around them. He saw the food beginning to run out and Ada and her husband packing away her cart of baked goods, but fortunately, the alcohol still flowed freely, having been boosted by a sudden infusion of supplies by a wagon headed by Valery on order of Alexei.

The friendly farming folk wanted to invite the vampire wagon driver into the festival, but Valery had to politely decline, and seeing that Li was occupied, had left back to his count's manor.

Azhar was spending his time showing the blonde maned Feli and her little sister around, and right now, he was showing them how to eat from meat skewers as they had crunched up the wooden skewer as well as the meat.

Jeanne was reigning victorious over the Lupi in their little wrestling ring, laughing as she smeared mud away from the snowy whiteness of her tunic while helping up her recent opponent, an absolute unit of a Lupi who must have been over two meters of solid muscle.

There had been a tear in the fabric cross her shoulder near to her chest from an errant Lupi claw, and no doubt that contributed much to the sizable ring of soldiers watching and cheering her on.

Then, the unexpected occurred. Or rather, as Li heard the thudding of many stumbling steps down the main road, it was at least a little expected.

Launcelot, thoroughly drunk, came through leading a crowd of adventurers. The adventurers were thoroughly happy and drunken, having likely celebrated much at the Golden Flagon beforehand. Li somewhat expected them as Launcelot did speak of wanting to bring them to have them enjoy the festival and to bond with the farmers and old faith, which in turn would grant Li a sizable and important force as allies.

But Li had not expected that almost all the adventurers of Riviera would come. Not that it mattered too much. It appeared that the adventurers had eaten their fills in the city and even gotten themselves friendly drunk – something Launcelot likely had ensured to remove any inhibitions beforehand.

There was also more than enough drink for them with Alexei's provisions, which, come to think of it, must have come when the count noticed that the Flagon was incredibly active that night.

"This is where the festival's at, right, Launcy boy?" said a loud voice.

"And the promised romantic dance by firelight? I don't see a fire, sir nobleman," said a young witch.

"Dance? I'll show ya how a real man o' the hinterlands moves to music," said Vahid, the huge hinterlander from what felt like eons ago.

Launcelot scratched his blonde locks, panning his blurring eyesight across the fields to look for a fire. "A predicament, yes, but one I shall solve!"

Launcelot went forwards, obviously trying to look for Li. Now was the time for Li to go to the priests and Ivo to light the bonfire.

"I'm sorry," said Li to Sylvie. "But something's come up. It looks like I have to go. Are you okay right now?"

Sylvie smiled and nodded before standing up. "Yes, I am. Like you said, the hurt has passed, and it is manageable, I believe. But do tell me, what business compels you even now?"

"Adventurers have come to join in on the festival, and that's my cue to start the Revelry of Summerfell."

"The dance, hm," said Sylvie with a nod. "Then it appears that I will have my hands full prying knightly hands away from Jeanne tonight."

"That," said Li as he watched the knights cheer raucously at Jeanne's victory against the Lupi oncemore. "Is probably true."

Sylvie sighed before looking to Li. "You know, perhaps my heart is still a little tender. Would you be willing to grant me a request?"

"Within reason," said Li.

"Then I will hold you to your word," said Sylvie with a hint of mischief as she made her way towards Jeanne.

========

Li stood in front of the unlit bonfire, a circle of priests around him. They were garbed in the traditional robes of the old faith, wearing humble and rough brown cloth to symbolize dirt while a laurel of leaves rested atop their greying heads.

The crowd of farmers, knights, beastwomen, and adventurers had gathered around, waiting for him to light the fire to begin the dance. Once the fire was lit, the priests would sing and initiate the revelry.

Li put a palm to his lips and breathed out, casting [Fireplume Seeds] to blow out a few seeds that looked and floated like angry red dandelions.

They wafted gently towards the wooden kindling, but as soon as they made contact, they burst into wild flames that consumed the wood in an instant, surging upwards intensely in a bright pillar of flame that, for a moment, lit up the entire night, and that marked the beginning of the end of the well enjoyed Summerfell festival.