The Red Moon Festival I

This from another book I'm working on. Enough about me personally for a bit. Let me know what ya think. This is a tale from another time and place.  -Paul 

  

            The Red Moon Festival was the final event before winter really set in. It was the last thing to look forward to before short cold days and long colder nights took hold of the entire realm. People gathered from both kingdoms to celebrate the peace that had come not so long ago. They had everything food, games, markets and members of the opposite sex. He had been going all his life and now he was old enough to participate in games of sport. Archery, hammer throwing and even wrestling had come naturally to him. It seemed he was gifted directly from the gods with both strength and even greater quickness. He came up just short in winning the archery contest losing only to Godart who was fifteen years older and highly experienced and battle tested. In wrestling, he defeated six out of seven opponents barely losing his last match. In hammer throwing he placed third among forty men. Not bad for his first time participating in the games. It was late afternoon on the third and final day and his efforts had not gone unnoticed. A late summer storm brewed in the distance.

            “It looks like you have a new admirer, young Ankius.” Ulric said nodding to a beautiful young blond maiden looking in their direction. Her dress suggested royalty.

            “I think she’s looking at you, sir. Who is she?” He good-humouredly answered his older and wiser neighbor.        

            “That’s Lissandra. She’s the grand daughter of King Adokhan and it has been a long time since I’ve participated in the games. You are the one she is interested in and your strength is no match for her my young friend try as you might.”

            “Let’s see.” He answered Ulric with a bright smile.

            Ankius tried to put on an air of the invincibility he had felt playing sport but his stomach was tied up in knots. He had to speak to her for she was the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. She was just a year or two older than he was. How could he approach her and not look the part of the fool? But he had to try. He took Ulric’s words as a challenge and soon everyone would be leaving. It would be a long wait until next year.

            Ankius got an ale from a near by tent and sat down alone in the grass to think about how to approach the beautiful Lissandra. The breeze lifted his short blond hair and tickled the new hair rising on his face and the strong dark ale went right to his head. He could count the ales he had drank before in his life on one hand. He caught her glances several times since the challenge from Ulric. Each time she quickly looked away but could not hide her interest in the new comer to the games. Ankius could not find her in the crowd and his heart sank at the notion of having to wait until Maypol, the spring gathering, to see her again.  He downed the last third of his ale in one last sip and in a few minutes resolved to get another and look for his new love. She was walking towards him holding an ale in each hand with a nervous and mischievous smile. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him he thought. This could not be happening. Her beauty blinded him to everything else going on near by. The rowdy crowd noise faded and he could feel is tongue tying up along with his stomach.

            “You are Ankius?” She asked nervously knowing full well who he was.

            “Yes.” Was all he could answer.

            “I am Lissandra.” She handed him the ale.

            “Please to meet you and thank you my lady.” Ankius clumsily got to his feet and bowed politely. The first ale was even stronger than he realized. 

            “It has been a great first year of games for you.” She too was nervous and this made Ankius feel a little better.

            “Yes, thank you.” He was unsure what to say, not wanting to look too proud. 

            “Will you walk with me? There are some ancient ruins not far from here I’ve always wanted to see. Every year I come, I want to go see them but my nanny will not let me. She says it is no place for young ladies and perhaps she is right. For it is said ghosts from ages ago still roam the grounds wanting to take vengeance upon the living. I want to see if this is true. Will you come with me as my escort?”

            Not fully believing his ears Ankius still managed a strong sounding “Yes my lady.”

            “Meet me at the edge of the woods on the opposite side of the temple in fifteen or so minutes.”

“I will be there and we will go looking for ghosts my Lady.”

            “Meet you there and please call me Lissandra.” With that she was off.      

            It had to be a dream he thought as he watched her walk away. There was only one way to find out. Sipping his ale he realized he could not escort a young Lady without any weapons. Asking his father was out of the question. Ulric may be more agreeable and Ankius found him playing dice with friends.

“Ulric. May I have a word alone with you sir?”

‘What does a strong up and soon to be champion want with a poor old man?” He was several ales ahead of Ankius already.

“Please sir, just a moment.”    

“Gentleman, please excuse me as I see what the young man needs.”  

He followed Ankius a short distance.

“Well, what is it?”

“Lissandra wants me to escort her to the old ruins near by and I need a sward to be a proper escort. Do you have one I can borrow?”

Ulric let a loud belly laugh. “I don’t think she wants an old man’s sward my friend. You will have no problem there!”

“Please Ulric! I’ll bring it back.” Ankius missed the joke in all his excitement.

“Alright but clean it if you have to use it!” Ulric took off his belt and handed it to Ankius.

“Thank you Ulric!”

“Don’t get caught my young friend. We cannot help you against the king.”

“No worry.”        

Ankius ran to the woods not knowing if she would show or not. The two ales took their toll and he realized he had to relieve himself really bad. “Be quick!” He thought as he found a big tree. He would hate if Lissandra showed up right then. He finished and looked around and still no Lissandra. Time slowed to a craw and he watched all of the people singing and dancing ignoring the looming thunderstorm. Had she taken him for a fool he thought? He felt a touch of anger starting to build up inside like the distant thunderheads. If she had, there was nothing he could do. Giving up at last he slowly started back toward the gathering.

“Ankius!” A loud whisper came from behind him.

He turned and there she was. With the darkening sky, he could only see her outline. She took off her bonnet, let it drop to the ground and untied her hair and shook it loose. Giggling, she trotted off into the forest behind her. Ankius followed not too far behind. He could hear Lissandra but not see her and followed the sound of her playful laughter. Soon he saw her cape lying on the ground, then her sandals, her dress and her corset. There was nothing else to leave behind. His heart raced with excitement as he followed her laughs and excited giggles up a hill into the old stone ruins. Heavy raindrops started to fall and lightening flashed not so far away.  He saw her naked body bathed in the blue flash and she had stopped running. Ankius started taking off his clothes as he slowly approached. Lissandra was breathing heavy watching him close in ignoring the heavy raindrops and increasing wind. In a moment they stood before each other and Ankius embraced and kissed her deeply as the sky opened up a downpour.

She pulled back “I know a dry place close.”