Chapter four ~ Yellow Night
Kasat was an island much smaller than the sparsely populated Nylo. It was filled mainly with women and men were treated with much suspicion, in some ways, as second class citizens. Kasat was matriarchal unlike the Trident Islands of Onanciel, Auroselin and Rinciel.
It was dangerous for Hugo to even persuade the sailors to stop there, took him half of his gemstones and pearls to convince them.
They didn’t dock, he jumped into the water and swam.
Half delirious from the freezing cold, Hugo passed out on the bank. Yellow Night had begun by time he awoke, shaking.
He used the last of his pearls to rent a room at the nearby inn. The landlady looked at him coldly and didn’t offer the breakfast that came with the room like advertised. He undressed, lit the fireplace and laid his clothes and undergarments to dry in front of it. Pulled on some old, pseudo-clean clothes and started drying his knives and the sword case; the sword itself was undamaged, rarely used. He empted the revolver and delicately cleaned every part of it. He sprawled across the bed top and breathed heavily. He was getting closer.
Descending the stairwell, he entered the public house and sat at a window seat. He peered through the window, into the street where celebrations and festivities were at large. It was Yellow Night, appraisal for the Sun and its beautiful daughter, Aurora. Why was it, Hugo thought, that everyone loved Aurora and feared Seline? Aurora was seen as life and creator whilst Seline was the destroyer and rage. He withdrew a cigarette however it was wet and soggy.
Women danced in the streets, dressed in yellow, ribbons rippling through the night air, lanterns hung in the street, yellow decorations, banners, ribbons, confetti everywhere. Even in the public house, the women and the few men sat wearing something yellow. There were banners declaring “Yellow Night”, “Love Rin”, and “Thank Ciel”. He tried to catch the eye of the barmaid, for a drink and meal.
“I don’t know what you’re doing here,” Someone’s voice cut. They hovered by his table, a few women, dressed in leather and each wearing a yellow sash across their chests.
“I’m here for a drink and food,” Hugo replied. He had carried the sword case with him, he was itching to use it again... it had been a long time and any excuse would do in his state. He was hungry, barely dry and irritable.
“Not a Kasat man, not anything at all,” She was chewing on something, spat it out onto his table. He looked down at it, some yellow gunk.
“Tonight is a night of praise and celebration,” Hugo clenched his teeth.
“Fuck off you tiny dicked bastard!” She spat, leaning forward aggressively. “And don’t say you won’t fight a girl, ‘cos I know you’re scared.”
“I won’t ‘cos I’ll make you barren, whore,” He spat back, squaring his eyes with hers.
Her eyes popped. Her fists clenched and she threw one, cracking against his cheek.
He knocked the table forward, crushing her and her friends. “Fucking Kasat,” He spat on the nether side of the table. Turning around, all the women and men stood. “Fuck.”
“Calm the fuck down, everyone!” The Landlady clicked her shotgun, reloading. “It’s just Ameri looking for trouble as per usual, no reason for blood.” She looked directly at Hugo, “Eat somewhere else for your own sake.”
Hugo exited with angry eyes burning into him. He walked down the bright street, hungry with adrenaline pumping through his veins. He looked up to the sky, the moons were barely visible, light purged the sky. His eyes fell back to human level, when he saw her.
His heart stopped. She was right in front of him; her black hair tied back, loose hairs dancing around her head. He could barely see her face, pushing through the crowd like swimming through a rough current, trying to hold her.
Then she turned. Her hair whipping in the air, her eyes locked into his. Time stopped and they were alone, standing so far from each other. She disappeared into the bustling crowd. His movements became violent, searching desperately for her, when an arm put him in a headlock.
“I would calm down if I were you,” She said, a laugh intoning her voice. A man stood next to her in the alley way, Hugo could see him smoking, looking disinterested; preoccupied with his eyes shifting suspiciously around him.
“Could I have a smoke then?”
YOU ARE READING
Two Moons
Fantasy"Remember my child, you shall have and love the daughter of Aurora from Ona’s thousandth night, remember too, as you are destined to love, you are destined to be torn apart." Hugo is in love with El. He tells her of their destiny to be together and...
