[November Prompt] The Harvest Masquerade

3. They were given one.

The parties thrown by the people of Ivras never much interested Spite. It seemed that every other weekend, there would be some new celebration, yet another excuse for people to gather annoying in the main streets of towns or gather at the taverns. This was quite an inconvenience to her, as she much preferred it when the alleyways were quiet and the bars just crowded enough that she, a stranger travelling through town, didn’t attract much attention. Between her unusual stature and the clear influence of magic on her appearance, flying under the radar was difficult, but even more so when every single person in a town was out and about, drinking and jeering in the streets. This time, it was the Harvest Masquerade. Why people felt the need to don masks to celebrate the harvest was beyond her, but clearly, she was alone in her resentment of the revelry.

She and Marius were staying in a larger town near the Sunless Jungle—close to her homeland, yes, but also far too close to the watchful eye of the Order for Spite’s liking. She had been insistent on staying indoors for the event—as much as the carts serving ale and fried foods were tempting, the crush of the crowd and the constant vigilance were not worth it, and she had tried to insist that Marius go without her. She was not going to have fun at such a boisterous event, and she wasn’t going to be much fun for her travelling companion if dragged along. Besides, she insisted, it wasn’t like she had a costume.

Marius never let her stew in her self-inflicted isolation, though. He was always one step ahead of her, reading her hesitations and pulling down the barriers she tried to build in her own path. With a grin, he had presented her with a hand-made mask, one she guessed he had spent hours toiling away on, though she had never noticed it herself: an elegant mask in the form of a phoenix, accented with flaming orange feathers that so perfectly nestled into her orange plumage. Even as gruff as she was, she had to admit it was beautiful. Moreover, though she tried to hide it, she was flustered and touched at his kindness, going out of his way to craft a gift for her just so she could enjoy the celebrations with him.

She donned the mask that evening and joined Marius for the celebrations. Though the crowd was still loud and the packed streets claustrophobic, it felt somehow easier to maneuver the revelry with her best friend at her side, watching out for her. Bit by bit, he had worn down so many of her reservations about the world and convinced her to enjoy what she had been so eager to push away. By the end of the night, she was able to enjoy the drinking and partying, and in the joy of being so cared about by her dear friend. She still did not understand the reason for the Masquerade, but she could see why Marius was so insistent that she joined him in the celebration.