Cǽrvelle-The Journey

Day 74, 1st day of the Month of Joy

I turned to look at yet another parade piece, this time a giant mechanical man, walking down the street.

"I don't see what's so impressive with all of these floats." I said, as I finally decided on what I would be eating, and folded up my menu. "They're not all that unique, except for the colours."

"Collin, this is the start of the Month of Joy, you're supposed to be excited for all of this!" she said, turning to face me for seemingly the first time this morning. "And the last many years have been pretty miserable, so it's definitely time for joy now."

"Fine, but you said there's still another week of this, right?" I asked her, and she shrugged.

"I suppose so."

"Then we can celebrate after breakfast then. I'm famished." I replied, and smiled as the Leopard returned to our table to take our orders.

Half an hour later, we were back out in the crowd, this time with full stomachs. I led Alexandra, holding her hand so we weren't separated.

"So where are we going?!" I yelled at her, to make myself heard over the noise. "Where did you say that Red Knight Station was?!"

"Just down this street!" she yelled back, and I continued to pull us along, until we finally broke out of the crowd as the parade turned down a different street. I let go of Alexandra's hand, and we strode down the street, with Alexandra glancing back at the parade every so often until it disappeared behind a hill.

"Okay, so there's the Red Knights." I said, indicating an intimidating, castle-looking complex taking up two whole city blocks, with red flags waving at each parapet. "Oh, and they've called it the Palazzo de Mor. A fitting name. So how do you say we do our reconnaissance?"

"We should try and get on top of the building opposite and try and get a good look down into the complex, to try and see where the different structures are." She said, indicating the moderately taller building on the opposite side of the street. "Did you bring anything to draw a map with?"

"No, I didn't think we would need anything like that." I said, a bit annoyed she had only just reminded me. "But here... Look, there's a printing shop right over there, they should have something."

A few minutes later, we were carrying a bag filled with paper and various pens and pencils, as we stood outside the building opposite the Red Knight Station, looking up at it.

"This is a bank." I said, arms crossed in front of me. "How the hell are we supposed to get to the top of this thing?"

"I don't know." Alexandra replied, standing a meter away. "Maybe we could climb up from one of the neighbouring buildings?"

"That's a good idea, except that those are banks as well, and they're too short for that anyways."

"Well, at least I had an idea!" she exclaimed, pouting. "What's your brilliant idea?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out, you know." I replied, walking up and down in front of the bank, looking down the alleys on either side. "What's behind this bank?"

"I don't know." Alexandra replied, but I was already walking down one of the alleys, and she had to jog to catch up. I turned the corner and stared at the apparatus on the back of the bank.

"Another fire escape. Brilliant." I said, grinning.

"Seriously?" Alexandra said as she saw it, crossing her arms in disbelief. "Why is there even a fire escape here?"