Dancing Under the Moonlight

Chapter 5

Arriving at the gate, he could see everyone prepared to leave. Violetta's bidding her goodbyes to Yidhra and the pups as she mounts the white Fell Pony, he could see the stacks and stacks of blanket, clothes and other woven crafts towering in the wagon she's driving.

Naib and Eli are chatting, Naib's black Clydesdale Horse dragging a wagon carrying various menacing weapons, both blunt and sharp, he also had a small furnace, a bag of coal and a large anvil with some tools. Eli, on the other hand, has a wooden table, his crystal orb, and some cards in his wagon.

He could also see Helena talking with Tracy from Eli's wagon, a brown Clydesdale Horse attached to the wagon grazing the grass beneath it. Aesop concludes that Helena's going with Eli on this trip. Fionna and Patricia wait for them by the gate.

Violetta clears her throat, "Now that everyone's said their goodbyes, we shall take our leave." She waves one last time to her family before leading her pony through the gates. Behind her, the rest of the horses and their riders follow her lead.

Fiona and Patricia stand by the entrance waving at them as they leave the village, they both send silent prayers of safety and good luck over the leaving pack members as they disappear into the woods. Now they can only wait for their return.

After hours and hours of Tracy's horrid jokes and Violetta's beautiful singing, the pack finally reached the capital town. Aesop stares in awe at the rows of large and colorful buildings that surround the streets. Colorful flags hang across the streets as confetti litter the grounds. Although the skies were still dark as the sun has just peeked over the horizon, Aesop could see how much the locals have prepared for the event today.

The pack move through the painted brick houses, Aesop grazing his hand over the brick as they pass by. He wonders what it's like to have brick walls. Oletus Village was built only using mud, wood, and stone from the forest after all. No one can afford such luxuries, they had to make use of what the forest had. His hand grazes over the cold panes of the mosaic windows, he stares with wonder at the colorful designs formed by the multi-colored glass.

Suddenly, the white Fell Pony stopped, followed by the other horses, wagons screeching to a stop. Aesop takes a look at their surroundings, the streets in front of them are littered with stalls and tents of many colors and sizes as far as the eye can see.

Balloons of many colors are tied onto lamp posts and more colorful flags hang across the streets. Rose bushes line the streets, the bright red roses lightening up the scene and much colorful confetti covers the grounds. Many gold decorations decorate the streets, the gold metal shimmering, representing the wealth of the elites. Two large poles stand at the entrance with a large banner with gold letters spelling out 'Elite Market'.

Aesop gets off Lilac's back, his sandals hitting the brick streets with a thud. Violetta gestures for them to follow her as she leads them to the center of the market. Three large stalls and a dark blue tent stands at the center of the market. The stalls form a rectangular shape with a wooden gate at the back, each with a sign and golden paint in a pint with a wooden paintbrush inside it.

Gold, silk cloth hang over the stall, held by the wooden pillars that support it as to shade the shopkeepers from the harsh midday sunlight. The tent, on the other hand, had a large blue silk cloth as walls, the inside having a single gold lantern that hangs at the center, giving it a mysterious feel.

Violetta claps her hands together, "Okay everyone! We have an hour to set everything up before we head for the inn to prepare for the opening of the Elite Market. I'll meet you all at the entrance once the time is up."

With that, everyone went on their separate ways.

Aesop goes back to where he left his wagon, he gently pats the side of Lilacs head before moving to the back of the wagon. He unattached a wooden trolley secured to the back of the wagon and starts to mount crates and boxes onto it. Once at its maximum capacity, he starts his journey back to the stall.