Jesse
I am here now in the town square watching the villagers dancing to their hearts content with laughter escaping from their mouths and sweat from their skins.
People are dancing around the pole that we erected. Normally it is just a plain old steel pole in the middle of the square and nothing special.
But today is an exemption for the reason that we are celebrating the harvesting and thanksgiving season. The pole have colorful streamers from the top to the roof of houses that surrounds it.
The villagers are dancing with their best clothes, I think. If you think wearing dirty dark brown slacks and polo for men, dirty dresses for the women are best, then yes, it is their best dresses.
But even though our clothes are not the best, we don't care because we are just the same, we are peasants or commoner living and serving under the King.
They are dancing in the streets that are covered with autumn leaves. Brown, red, orange and yellow leaves almost cover the whole street. Some are falling from the trees near their houses.
I smile at the sight. The sun shining down us but not much. Clouds that are puffy with some are grey and sunlight is escaping through patches in the cloud making it look like a ray.
Even though it is in middle of the afternoon, the whole area is a little bit cooler thanks to the climate that it is now autumn.
With the leaves falling and their bristling sounds from the wind, it gives us a scene that seems right out of a fairytale book and magically turning it into real life.
"Jesse!"
I had regained my senses back to reality from a shout on my right. I turn my head and saw someone running towards me. And I think it is a girl, I smile at that because I can see her face clearly and I think I know who she was.
"Jesse! What are you doing?", she said, my friend Jenny said while she pants, trying to catch her breath from her running.
"Just watching the villagers dance", I said and turn my head toward the sight again.
"Oh that sounds like fun watching them. You know there are other that would be more fun than watching them?", she said and I look at her again. Giving her a questioning look.
"What is it?"
"Let's dance with them", she said while she drags me towards the center. I try to wiggle myself from her so I can escape but she held my wrist tighter.
"Oh don't be become a shy little bunny", she said and I glare at her for saying those insults at me.
"Oh shut up", I said and she just chuckles at me.
"Oh shush. Speaking of bunny. We really are a bunny compared to those beasts in the woods", she said and stops running because we are in the middle of the crowd dancing in the square.
"Oh it is about the wolves again?", I said and she just nodded. We join the dance while I contemplate on what had happened. I grab her arms and I stretch it so I can turn her.
Those wolves are really a frightening creature and also fascinating. I heard some stories from the villagers that they saw a wolf family but they scurried off in a hurry because almost after they saw the family, they have been growled by the wolves.
But mostly they say that they attack when you saw them especially, Him. They say that he is a very dangerous wolf. Much more dangerous than the others and they say he is the leader of a pack because other wolf follow him.
They say that he is a very very large wolf. Larger than other wolves. And much larger than humans. Their description of the wolf is sketchy but they are sure of some description.
They say his color is that of a midnight. A black wolf with dark hazel eyes. They say his eyes seems to seeing right through your soul. Just thinking about made me shiver in fear.
I came back to reality as a tap on my shoulder which just in time, I finish my thoughts about that mysterious yet dangerous beast in the forest. We dance and dance until we are exhausted. We go into the different shops on the side which lines the square and we lean against the wall. We pant as we try to catch our breath.
"Did you have fun Jen?", I said and she just smiles at me.
"Yes and I think I got that guy's attention", she said pointing to a guy behind me. I look at the guy and he wink at Jen. I roll my eyes and smirk at her.
"It looks like that you found somebody to settle on. I wish a good luck to you two Jen. I wish he will not break your heart so you can settle down", I said and she cried.
We maybe a friends that insult one another but when it comes to these, we are helping each other and look out each other.
"I wish it would be Jessy-babe", she said and hugged me but stretching a little because I am a rather stout person.
"Now now let us get rid of this drama. We need to watch the dance and enjoy the festivities before it is winter time where you know...the King will...", I said and she frowns.
"Right. I cannot believe where at age to join the whole hunting kind of thing", Jenny huff at that.
Well I can't blame her. The hunting-thing she is talking about is not what you think it is. Instead of hunting some animals, you will be the one will be hunted. Crazy, right? I know.
He did that order for the reason that he can "give respect to the beast that lives in the woods and also to test our strengths" and that will happen when the first full moon of the winter months rise in the night sky.
It is completely ridiculous and insane to think such an idea or traditions but what we can do since it is the King's orders and we cannot defy the orders unless we want to suffer being alone in the woods or being thrown in the dungeon for many months.
Although it seems ridiculous, it has a nice reward especially for us commoners. Because if you DID survive, then you are to join the King's court and live yourself merrily in the presence of powerful men and women along with wealth and honor will be given alongside with it.
I love that but I rather much stay here in the village and maybe live a simple happy life away from such ridiculous opulence. Hopefully I can survive throughout my whole life until I am no longer obliged to do the whole tradition.
"Hopefully none one of us to be chosen", I said and she nod.
"But...", she starts trailing off, "If one of us had been chosen. I wish a good luck", she said and it is my turn to nod.
"Don't worry Jessy, we should be hopeful about this", she said and I smile at her.
"Speaking of hopeful. I am hopeful that Joshua would become a date for me for this year's thanksgiving bonfire they are setting up for tonight", she said and I smiled brightly at her.
"That's great", I said but feeling a little depressed.
"Yeah yeah but what about you? I know that you are a guy that likes to be alone but maybe at least you should have a date", she said and I just shake my head no.
"But I don't want to have a date. I just want to be left alone for my own thoughts and besides, it also gives me the ability to tease the two of you", I said grinning at her when she just blushes.
"You little rascal", she said and hitting me in my shoulders.
"Stop hitting me you scoundrel", I said with a playful hiss.
"Oh so I'm the scoundrel now. But you are-", she said stopping and glaring at something over my shoulder.
I raise an eyebrow at her and look around to saw the cause of her disdain. It is Angela, a... how can I put this in a gentle manner...well she is an adulterous woman if you put it in the nicest way.
Trust me when I say that this is the nicest word to say to her. She is known for that because she had been the cause of some broken family.
She had been the number one person on rumor for that is about broken family. They say that they are enthralled by her beauty which I cannot object because she is definitely beautiful.
But it cannot be used as an excuse for her poor behavior and manners. And now, she is targeting someone. Someone who is high in the rankings, you guessed it, it is the King.
Everyday when we meet her, she is always talking about in getting the King to be hers and convince the King to let her be the Queen.
Why is she so enthralled to the King? I cannot tell exactly why but the villagers seems have the answer. Well it is simple, people in the village says he is a handsome King to be exact. They say that he just like a God when you meet him.
Well thank God I didn't meet him at once but maybe when I am just child but I cannot remember his face now so it is futile because maybe I cannot take his regality.
Well maybe you just know my secret, yes, I am a guy but I am attractive towards a guy like me. That is one of the reason I cannot take a date. I just hate when people will abuse me because of it. And I don't tell it to other people except my friend, Jenny, the secret. At first I thought she is disgusted but she told me that it is alright.
I was snap back to reality by the hurtful feeling at my wrist. I look down and found my thick wrist being held tightly.