Folly & Agendas & Talulah

~HAPPY B𝐈RTHDAY MARZANNA~

"I'm much older than they are, Talulah," Haley stated plainly, hugging Marzanna, smoothing strands of hair, wiping off the dust from the seat of their pants. "And I'd rather not be the target of their play. I've already been on the ground one too many times. I also don't want to feel the weight of a hundred kids on top of me; I'll turn flat like a pancake!"

"Just saying: the kids will go crazy when we start singing," Kaiser Rye interjected and snatched Marzanna from the Sankta. "Why don't we sing for her now? We've waited long enough, and so did everyone else. Did you two prepare any speeches perhaps?"

Both Talulah and Haley got up. "Yes, we have. Come then," Talulah remarked. Her husband handed their child back to her and she proceeded to an open spot where everyone can put their eyes on her. Haley followed closely, swiped a drink from a friend, gulped it down, and chased her.

Talulah looked at Haley and said: "You first."

In a booming voice, with a childlike glee, Haley stepped on a trunk with a cup in her hand.

"Now! The moment we've all been waiting for!'

"Come on! Come out! Sit beside me, anyone, everybody! Sing with me! Don't be shy everyone!"

Talulah carried a dim torch and raised it in the air. She lowered Marzanna to the ground; her daughter turned around nervously, yet she was filled with excitement. She stretched both of her arms out and spoke:

"My brethren, my kin, We have made it this far. Your efforts are appreciated. I'm thankful for everyone who stayed with us on this long, grueling journey. We came a long way from a small group of people clinging to an ideal, to a city full of people bustling with life. We came from a cold village in the middle of the Northern Tundra where we met and befriended Yelena and Patriot. We fought the Ursus Imperial Army and pushed them back. We showed them that we are masters of our own lives. Now we know that life keeps moving on, even though we may know what is coming up ahead for us. We have lost many along the way. Some earlier than others. But we must carry on until the end."

Haley looked at Talulah, Kaiser Rye, and the birthday girl. She received smiles from all three of them and sucked in another breath.

"Today is Marzanna's Birthday! Let's sing for her!"

With candles and torches in hand, a resounding silence came to a halt. Eagerly waiting were their people, The Infected, waiting to send thanks to their leaders' gift.

"Ready everybody?"

"Happy Birthday~ To You!"

"Happy Birthday~ To You!"

"Happy Birthday Dear Marzanna~!"

"Happy Birthday To You!"

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!"

The cheers cascaded down on Marzanna like spring rain. Her eyes sparkled at the sea of people calling her name, clapping for her, making the world shake for her celebration. She wandered around as if she was sightseeing, entering a new place for the first time, greeted by fellow children alike and the adoration of the adults.

Talulah scooped her up from the ground and carried her in her bosom. "You're growing up, Marzanna," She cooed, bringing her back to her spot. "One day, you'll grow up like mommy and lead everyone here. This city will be yours, and everyone will have to follow you."

Marzanna bore a fat frown on her face. She remembered something from a day-long, long ago. A day where Kaiser Rye took her outside of the city into a prairie. The day created a memory that saved him. It was the day Kaiser Rye talked about death, or rather the prospect of him and Talulah leaving her one day, despite the pain of doing so.