POA Harvest Festival Chapter 7

Harvest Festival Chapter 7

Ending in Forgiveness


The night in the town of Aether had been graced with a bright, silvery moon. Candlelight and the light from the gourds created a pathway to the cathedral, both for mons and spirits alike. Children ran among the leaf piles, donned in masks and colorful paints to ward off the eviler spirits and help lost ones find their way.
Jules, Liam, and Gavin walked along the lit path of gourds, pointing out ones from their native lands, some from lands they had recently visited, and others from those yet to be visited by either of the mercenaries or merchant.

“So, what are we gonna do?” Gavin questioned. He looked to his best friend for an answer, but Liam was looking at Jules. Her expression was very sullen as they walked among the graves now. A few ghost mons, not spirits but real live ones, floated over graves to place offerings or say something to the spirits below. One Duskull was conversing with a small group of young knights as the trio walked up to him.

“Ahem, excuse us, Dullahan?” Liam asked and the Duskull wrapped in a cloak turned to them.

“Ah, have you come to help ease the weary souls?”
“Well we—yes.” Liam and Jules spoke at once causing Gavin and Dullahan to look confused at them.

“We…I would like to visit the grave of a soul, to…to ease….” Jules was trying not to choke on her words, but she could feel the hot tears stinging her eyes already. Experienced in this sort of thing, the Duskull wrapped his wispy arms around her.

“My dear, go find that who you have lost. May you both find peace during this festival and perhaps help others find theirs as well.”

“T-Thanks.” Jules sniffed; brushed tear drops from her eyes while Liam and Gavin gave her a concerned look. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and padded down a well-kept stone walkway through the church courtyard. Before Liam could follow Dullahan whisked the two away to try and convince one spirit to stop tormenting his living sister.

The walk to the grave Jules sought wasn’t far, in fact she saw more candlelight’s here as well; mons just like her dealing with loss and hoping to help those spirits feel at ease as well.

One or two graves were completely covered in lichen or dirt, so she used the hem of her dress to clean off the worst of the gunk, revealing the names of those long gone.

“Be at peace and may you find your way to Elysium good spirits.” She prayed and continued onward.
Beneath a huge tree, next to a long line of fellow ancestors that came before, was a grave she had visited with her Gramma recently.

“Hello Grandfather.” She smiled at the name on the tombstone. She gave an Artiphron prayer and lit the candles at the graves all along the rows her grandfather and his relatives.

“Gramma says hi and though she won’t admit it, not a day goes by that she doesn’t miss you. Be at peace in the spirit world, wherever you may be.” She smiled and laid a kiss to the stone, right where her grandmother would. Sending a farewell to her other relatives Jules found her feet taking her to a large gazebo type area of the graveyard.

Here was where noblemons were buried; men, women, even children. It was here that her own beloved was. Galahad St. Arthur V. His name was written so well, as it should be since Jules herself had carved it and was lucky enough that his family had allowed her to.

She sat down in front of Galahad’s tombstone; unfolding part of her dress to reveal a piece of metal. It was woven in an intricate knot that had taken her over three years at the metalsmith’s in Artiphron to master but here it was. An engagement ring.

She dug a small hole with her fingertip right over the spot where his hands would be and placed the ring in it. Quickly recovering the sod and grass so it looked undisturbed Jules moved to stand up, but found herself unable to until she finally cried.

It didn’t take much for her to cry over Galahad’s grave; thankfully there were so many other wailing spirits out that her voice would just be one of them. She hugged the granite slab as her tears plinked down on its smooth surface. Ever since that horrible time in the north, where she almost fell for that ice demon’s call she had been reminded too much of Galahad and how he was taken from her. She had loved him, more than she ever loved anyone in her entire life and all because of her…she couldn’t even say it as she wailed like a child.

“Galahad! Galahad! Galahad Galahad Galahad! She cried his name till it became nothing but wet words and choked breaths.

Something then grasped her shoulder and she whipped around so fast whoever it was, was knocked down.

“What in the name of the Gods was that fer!” Gavin squawked and hopped back onto his feet. Jules was breathing harder after that start and was glad she hadn’t had her dagger with her or she’d have some explaining to do to Liam why his best friend was now joining the spirits.

“You tell me! Apollo almighty Gavin! How’d you find me anyway?” Jules offered her arm and the Fletchinder hopped onto it, cautiously.

“Well Liam was worried about ya so I told him I’d go find you while he did some more things for Dullahan. Now can I ask without getting my head lopped off what you’re doing here?” Jules listened to the bird and was a bit surprised someone she barely knew was worried about her. She shook it off and showed Gavin the grave.

“This is the grave of my fiancé, Galahad.”

“Oh.” Gavin was quiet for once as he and Jules stared at the grey granite. A couple candles flickered nearby as spirits passed the two. Some stayed to say their regards to the lost soul, others tried getting the Smeargle’s attention but she was too lost in the tombstone.

An hour had passed before Gavin began to shiver.

“Hey, I don’t mean t’ interrupt this touching staring contest but, maybe we should go so we don’t die too?” Gavin’s words were lost on the young woman so he pecked at a strange ring attached to her beret and that got her to come free of the trance she was in.

“Huh? Oh, home. Right. Let’s find Liam and get you warm.” Jules smiled, though whether it was at Gavin or the grave the Fletchling didn’t matter. Instead he huddled closer to the Smeargle’s warm fur as the pair walked back to regroup with Liam.

Dullahan thanked the three of them and went about his nightly duties. Liam held Gavin in his arms, wrapping him in his shawl to keep the little bird warm.

“So, you and Gavin were gone a while, were you okay?” Liam asked as he and Jules walked towards Lorenzo's troupe to hear stories to end their night.

“Yeah, he startled me, but he was nice company even if I wasn’t talking much.” Jules replied, smiling at the sleeping bird in Liam’s arms.

“That’s Gavin, he may talk a lot but he’s a good listener too.” Liam chuckled. Arriving just in time, Lorenzo's troupe was beginning a performance of a story that another mon was narrating. Gavin slept as Jules and Liam became drawn into the horror story, at times sliding closer for reassurance before moving apart. When the story had ended and the troupe was off to bed themselves, it was time for the trio to part ways and sleep too.

“I never got to thank you, so thank you, for all that you did for me these past weeks.” Jules said as the came to where she was living while in Aether. Liam smiled again and nodded.

“I hope to see you around town more, especially since we share the same guild. Goodnight Jules.” Liam bowed and walked off to where he and Gavin lived.

“Goodnight, Liam.” Jules smiled and headed for home; not noticing the blueish aura standing there; an engagement ring upon his finger.

“Thank you, Jewel. I love you and I forgive you.” The aura then joined his spirit with the others in their now peaceful travels.