Through Smoke and Ashes

Two||New Beginnings

The bustling streets of Solaris were not something I was accustomed to, considering how uneventful my small village was. In Acrine, I knew everyone's names and their children's names—even their pet's names. Seeing so many new faces brought a sense of uneasiness through me, but I paid no mind to it, solely focusing on the excitement of the festival.

Lanterns were lit, flickering slowly against the dark purple sky as the breeze rushed through the streets of Solaris, wisping through legs and rustling clothing. My hair swished in front of my face, and the smell of sweet air wafted under my nose. The energy of tonight almost felt magical.

"Navi, dear," Mom called as I started to fall behind. Watching the scenery unfold around me distracted me from keeping up with my group. "Keep up with us, please. We're almost there."

I stuck close to my family, not wanting to get separated in such a place.

"Sorry," I smiled once beside Mom. "It's just so different."

She laughed softly. Her bright smile was encaptivating. "We haven't even gotten to the best part yet." Her arm intertwined with mine, guiding me through the bustling streets of unfamiliar faces and new experiences.

Loud voices called out from the crowd, marketing their products to those who passed by. Various foods, fabrics, and jewels rested at stands with someone trying to sell their merchandise. Some were doing quite well, gathering in a crowd with a piqued interest in the items being sold.

"Ma," I said while looking at a booth with beautiful fabrics on display. "May I?" I was tugging on her arm before asking for her permission. I had a small amount of money, but I wanted to buy some souvenir from the big city.

"Alright," She nodded in agreement when she saw where I was looking. "Ronan," Mom called. "We'll only be a moment."

He was barely listening as he was tending to my brothers, who were far too interested in the women with scarcely enough clothing to cover their intimacies. I was old enough to know who these women were and what they were after. Most looked to be in their early twenties, the same age as I was.

I hoped my brothers were smart enough to stay away from them and not be drawn in by their seductive nature.

Dad pulled them away from the girls and led them in a different direction to look at weaponry work by a blacksmith's booth.

I giggled, pulling on her arm until we were in front of the booth that caught my attention. A shirt was hanging from a pole, a dark green colour with a brown sash around the middle. It went long enough where I imagined it to reach my thighs, and I had a perfect pair of brown pants to match its design. "Isn't it nice, Ma?" I asked while my eyes danced over the material.

"It is," She nodded, her eyes wandering around the booth at the different fabrics.

The man who owned the booth stepped out from behind a set of clothing on display. The hue of his flesh was dull looking, with sunken skin and dark circles under his eyes. He looked tired and ill. Once we caught his eye, an annoyed glimmer took over his features. But his voice was sickly sweet, as if he could make up for his lack of hospitality through words.

"Ah, my darlings. How may I be of service to you today?" His thin body wove through his shop, pushing past an intricately made pink dress, its length spanning all the way to the ground.

"I'm wondering how much this would cost me?" I asked, pointing to the green shirt in front of me.

He hummed, gathering the material in his hands before eyeing me over. "Yes, yes. A good choice. This would match your lovely brown hair quite well." His hands worked over the fabric as he pondered his thoughts.