Thenen’s father had arranged them lodging with his sister’s husband’s relatives who were ironware merchants. The first sight of their home erased all misconceptions that everyone at the citadel lived like kings. In fact, it seemed that even the fanciest dressed city dwellers retired to tiny hovels one tenth the size of Rolly’s home. It took some time for this realization to sink in. The three walked through the dark, crowded streets for hours, circling around their destination which they had confused for an alleyway. When they finally singled out the only door that fit the description of their destination, they had already passed it three times. By this point the occupant too had singled out their guests from the crowds of tourists and opened the door as their visitors approached. The tall, thin and ancient lady scuttled the four into a stifling hot room with a fading fire in the corner hearth as its sole light source.
The lady of the house welcomed them to take one of the many seats that crowded the room. They could have their choice of high backed chairs, benches, stools and couches. A table, chest, shelf or another form of containing furniture, upon which or in which stood candle holders or vases, urns and other partially useful decorative elements filled up every other inch of floor. Each entrant needed only to squat down to find themselves a space. As they did so, the man of the house emerged from a dark hole the visitors’ adjusting eyes could now recognize as a hallway, or perhaps just another room. He had a florid face, a protruding belly and nose that shone red even in the dim light, which made him appear only slightly younger than his wife.
The hosts displayed the expected hospitality, but all could tell that neither had seen this advanced hour in some time so the guests ate what they were given quickly while the hosts started moving furniture for their bedding. The home only contained two habitable rooms, the one in which they sat and the bedroom above, which the hosts spoke nothing of until after they handed out blankets and retired up there themselves.
The day that followed continued to disappoint the travelers. They left their lodging early expecting the bounty of the city to hold more than a room crowded with furniture, but by the time they approached the main arena for games they learned that the stadium seating had already filled to capacity. The four jostled into a standing room only area, where they gaped for a view better than just the flags and banners above, only to get little more than a glimpse of a contestant’s arm before someone shoved them out of their way in order to achieve their glimpse. They eventually gave up on the effort and left in search of other fair festivities. They returned the way they came, and ended up in a routine much like the evening earlier, wandering the citadel in the direction of where it appeared the crowds came from, only to find themselves at the gates again where the influx met the crowds those going out. The four debated how many more people the city could possibly contain. It seemed like the entire kingdom came, not just the invited nobles. The city contained perils at every turn, from pickpockets to vendors who assaulted visitors with their wares, to obvious prostitutes to drunks who treated the girls like obvious prostitutes.
Their lodging proved a less than desirable retreat. The man of the house spent his days drinking at the guild house and the woman, unaccustomed to guests in her home, felt the need to cater to them whenever present, which meant that she constantly offered them food or services and if refused, would wait in the corner to fill their needs as they arose. Rolly could tell this was not a natural role for this woman, but what she thought was proper and expected, and though they pleaded for her to relax herself it soon became evident that she did not know how to do so with guests in her sanctuary. When her husband came home he was so jolly for company he talked all night long, to the point that he repeated himself threefold by the end.
The next day followed the same way, the young country nobles arrived too late again for the matches so they strolled around the citadel, hoping to catch the eye of like or better suited peers who would clue them into where the real fun took place. They saw them passing, smiling and laughing, as if they just had the time of their lives at some grand party Rolly’s group did not have an invitation to. Too shy to approach anyone, they relied on hearsay. They overheard that the royal dances took place in the castle for high nobility only and the guild houses also held events where only members were allowed admittance. Since even more unsavory types came out in the evenings, the youths headed home early where they bedded out of boredom and the desire to relieve the old lady from her self-imposed duty.
At breakfast on the third day their host asked them about their adventures. Rolly and his sisters, whose father would translate any negative statements into their own shortcomings, gave positive responses about the variety of wares available here. Thenen, who as a rule only spoke in short pointed sentences, remarked frankly that he found it strange for such a large festival to have to few accessible events.
His companions paled at his words, as they resembled a criticism of the manner in which the King had arranged his festival, and at first, the blustering response of their host set the three in fear that he would throw them out for his saying so.
“From what vantage do you compare this festival, nephew!” he billowed, “I know a little of your home life and for that I forgive you, sweet fools!” He slammed to table with his hand and the woman hung in the corner flinched.
“Only guildsmen can attend the halls, and only the royals are invited to the dances,” Thenen started, strangely enraged at his relative’s estimation of him.
“Why would these lovely ladies wish to attend a guild hall?” the host asked, and then turned behind him and pointed to the couch where the visitors had piled their trade goods the first day. “Have you not visited the fairgrounds?”
Thenen began to recite the factors that edged them out of the tournament view but his host interrupted. “No, the fairgrounds, the fairgrounds, on the north lawn.”
No amount of argument could convince their host that they did indeed visit the fairgrounds but found them full and inaccessible. He insisted on showing them himself.
That day, their host let his apprentice run the shop and led the youths out the front gates, along the path that cut through the tradesmen’s tents that clustered along the main entrance and around to the back of the castle, where unbeknownst to them, a dozen grand tents that could each shade a playing field covered the grounds on which concessions and events of every variety took place. One exhibited rare animals, another marked a dining hall, another had an arcade of games, and through all a strange milieu of people from all stations and standing in the kingdom, strolled around enjoying themselves.
“So you have been here and found it inaccessible,” Xylus challenged Thenen.
“No sir, we didn’t know it was here,” he said.
“You’re forgiven,” his relative said, “you had the unfortunate advantage of having lodging in the guild section of the citadel, and most of your peers are in the camps. I should have shown you first day. That is my fault. I assumed you would know. Now let me show you what it is all about,” he said, leading the way.
His familiarity with the layout of the grounds led the youths to suspect the cause for his lateness to dinner, especially after they observed the large quantity of ale that he quaffed like water throughout the day. He gradually became more jovial and the familiar pink patches appeared on his cheeks in the crystal light of late afternoon. This coincided with increased sociability as he seemed to recognize a good number of acquaintances, whom he introduced his youths to. When the pink of sunset lit the goat rocks a stunning purple, he led them to observe it out to the side of the spectacle, and just as the sun dipped behind the horizon a great cacophony of horns blared a familiar dance tune in the closest nearby tent, before the commissary, of which the tables had been cleared to the perimeter and a floor laid down for dancing.
Here their host wished them a good evening, made sure they knew their way home and left the youths to enjoy themselves unchaperoned. As they watched him disappear into the gates instantly the party’s initial reserve returned, everyone seemed unsavory again and they slowly approached the dance pavilion with trepidation. But then one of their host’s friends invited them to share their table at which sat three families with members of all ages. Soon they were dancing together and their first real night of the festival was underway.