Chapter Four: Red-head Traveler

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Night had fallen in Serna yet its festivity had not come to end. Voices of people crowed the small square. Hymn of music blasted in every corner of the street. But despite the loud noises the chiming of a certain bell had not been forgotten by the visitors. There dancing at the soft and flowing light tune of the flute and drum for the beat the woman with golden hair dressed in crimson as the small bronze colored bells in her hem continued to tap, leap, grind in the flow of the beat.

Amber eyes glowing like fire she continued entertain their spectators. Bit by bit the crowd in the center of the square began to thicken as the great dancer made her way calling into them. When the drum and the flute made the last verse of the piece she made a final leap that is so graceful that even the flowers will bow to her. Curling like a ball upon her landing she straighten her back in a beautiful arc as her arms spread like an eagle, and the music had come to end.

Her chest rising and falling as she breathes for a dear air. The crowd clapped their hands as loud as her frantic heart. Smiling to herself she turned to her spectators as she bowed feeling relief and happy. Standing from her bow she grabs a basket and began to run around the crowd tossing coins at her as a compensation for a very wonderful dance.

Unaware of a hostile presence black as the dead night eyes peering at her within the crowd. Smiling a sinister smile he moved out of the crowd and decided to meet the woman when everything is quite and she is alone.

"Rien! That was the most heart wrenching performance!" shouted a woman around her height but bigger than her figure, came running to her.

"Meleth!" she accepted her hug and parted to look at her dear friend. "And here I was wondering where you can be!"

"Oh well... you know just over here and there." she smiled while pulling back Rien's loose lock behind her ear. "But it would be more stupendous if we don't have to hide your pretty hair."

"Geez... Meleth you know we can't do that!" said a man behind her as he carried the basket full of varied goods.

"Whatever Lamar." she pouted. "You just don't know how it feels to hide a girl's pretty hair." she turns to him in akimbo. "Especially as beautiful as Dirien's hair!"

"Now, now you two stop bickering each other." said the other man as he expertly wipes his golden flute. "And Lamar please stops arguing about the girls' conversation."

"Oh! When were you in the girls side Yin?"

"I was in no one's side. It just happens that you are starting the argument rather than Meleth here."

"Oh so you're saying it was okay for her to start it than me?"

"Yes, because you are older in years than her."

"Wha - "

Unable to spat back he just silently watch the three enter their tent not too far from the square. Irritation boiling in the pit of his stomach he childless stump as he tread back to their tent.

"Anyway are we having a feast tonight?" asked Meleth after putting away Dirien's dress and wiping off her face paint.

"Hmm... What do you think Lamar?"

"Hmpt! I think only the three of us. Meleth excluded."

"Wha - "

"Seriously Lamar stop bullying Meleth." Dirien said as she appears from her dressing room. "Even though she was just standing around she was the one who made me pretty tonight."

"Yes," said Yin as he nodded in agreement. "Even though Rien don't need such paints."

"Hmpt!" he turns back annoyed by his two friends who defended Meleth. After a long silence he sighs in defeat and turn back to them. Eyes twitching he saw the broad smiles of his two friends and the worry look in Meleth, in fear not to be fed. "Fine!" Meleth's face relaxed and began to smile. "BUT!" he pointed at her, her face fallen again. "Next time you will be the one to go around collecting the coins so that Rien can relax! Do you understand?!"

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