The Beast and The Swallow

Yalda was bustling with excitement. Wherever Lorelei looked, there were flags and flower wreaths, acrobats and vendors, troubadours and fortune tellers. All people, Binshi or not, were dressed in the traditional red-white colors of the Obrek.

With glowing eyes and flushed cheeks, Lorelei didn't know where to go first. There were stalls selling fragrant skewers and piping hot meat buns; tents with spices and gowns from all over the known world; carts with amulets and love charms; shopfronts sparkling with glass figurines and precious brocades. In her excitement, Lorelei just stood stupified, clutching Noah's arm, and didn't take a step.

"Welcome to Yalda as it is supposed to be," said Noah in a low, yet content voice. "Since all your visits until now have been… less than pleasant, I hope you'll give it one more chance."

Without waiting for her answer, he turned Lorelei around to face him and planted a kiss on her forehead. He then quickly pulled a tiny, yet familiar, box from his waistpouch.

"I almost forgot a crucial part of your attire today," he whispered, dipping his thumb in the blue dye and painting a crescent horizontally between her brows.

"You charmer!" Lorelei pursed her lips, but on the inside, her heart was melting.

"Alright, you lovebirds! Time to fly off." Duncan's booming voice startled them both, and they looked at him like youths caught in a mischief. The old knight grinned and, grabbing Neli under the arm, waved his paw at them. "Have a nice day, my little chicks. And don't wait for us old folk. We'll look around and find our way back on our own."

"Take good care of your lady," chimed in Neli, patting straight some non-existent creases in Noah's shirt. "But still, please, behave. Both of you. Leave the guarding to Aiden and the rest. I don't want to hear William complaining about the Duke and Duchess getting involved in market brawls."

"When have we…?" Noah started complaining, but quickly shut up when remembering all the events in the past couple of months. "Don't worry, Mother. We will be lower than the grass and quieter than a mouse fart."

"Watch your language!" Neli was visibly appalled while Dunkan barked a short laugh.

"Well, Mother, since today I am officially not the duke of Norden, some leeway in my manners should be acceptable."

"When will you grow up!?" Neli rolled her eyes and pulled Duncan away. "Let's go before I change my mind and stay to chaperon them."

Waving a final goodbye, the two melted into the crowd. Exchanging a chuckle, Noah and Lorelei followed their example, surrounded by their friends.

"First things first. We need to accompany the twins to one of the Obrek tents," said Noah while fighting his way through the stream of people.

"I feel like a prisoner!" moaned Rish and clung to Lorelei's free arm. "Please, can't we first go and have a bite? I know an excellent stall with grilled eel. Or have a drink and some sweetmeats? There is this merchant from Shareeba who comes every year and sells sugar animals on sticks that look like miniature glass figurines. Or we could join the dance-"

"Are you trying to find an opportunity to run away?" Rasha grabbed her sister's sleeve.

"Baseless accusations! Low insinuations!"

"Last year, we went to have a drink, and you ditched me under the excuse of refilling our cups." Rasha's face turned unusually steely. "This time, we first do the Obrek and have fun afterward. Take it as a reward."

"A prisoner, indeed." Rish sighed theatrically. "Sold by my own flesh and blood. Oh, fine! Let's finish it already!"

With some effort, their group reached one of the many city squares. A circle of white yurts was formed at its center, and the whole air was heavy with the aroma of burning herbs and wine. The sides of the tents were rolled up, revealing mountains of colorful cushions, arranged in countless nest-like circles.

While Lorelei craned her neck curiously, Dederi was giving some final instructions to the twins.

"Please, don't cause trouble. Yes, Rish, I'm looking at you. Just go, and meet some people. No one is saying you need to find the love of your life. And be smart. If you like someone, nothing more than kissing."

"We ain't little, Dederi!" Rish huffed, and even Rasha nodded with an appalled expression. "We know the dangers. Or you think Rasha is so desperate to create a little soul-sucker?"

"Hey! That's nasty and mean!" Rasha slapped her sister on the back of the neck.

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Confused, Loreley gave Noah a questioning look. He shook his head and whispered in her ear.

"During the Obrek, the Binshi do dream-courting. They drink special potions and then go to sleep. Their souls are guided by the shamans to a special dream world outside of the Spirit plane itself, where they can meet and interact with other youths doing the ritual. It's a safe space where they can get to know each other and, if they like each other, they can continue dream-courting even after the Obrek. It's quite useful for mostly nomadic people like them."

"That I get." Lorelei frowned. "But what about creating a soul-sucker?"

"Gerash explained it to me once. For the Binshi, having… ahem… intercours means that two people connect not only their bodies but also their souls. And if a child is conceived, a mixed shard of both the parents' souls gets seeded into the forming body of the baby. But if two souls merge… intimately during dream-courting, there is no forming body to accept the new spark of life. So the mother, mostly, returns to her body with two souls. And you can imagine that the result isn't pretty. Some say that the very first vapir was created like that."

Lorelei trembled and huddled in Noah's arms. Why was everything in Norden a thigh-rope walk over a chasm of spikes?! Her reaction caught Rish's attention, and her friend grinned and patted her shoulder.

"So, he told you about the 'nasties'? Don't worry, we aren't stupid or lecherous enough to do something this foolish. There hasn't been an accident during dream-courting in… I think a hundred years. So, stop worrying."

"You know, trouble seems to follow us wherever we go." Lorelei bit her lips. "You two are sure you want to do this? I can talk with Gerash and the Elders."

"Believe me, being courted in a dream is much more preferable than meeting the chap in person." Rish rolled her eyes. "No strange body odors. No grabby hands."

"No infatuation charms," added Rasha. "Or love potions slipped in your drink. You see, it's way better."

Still not quite convinced, Lorelei hugged the twins and told them to meet with the rest of the group at the central square at midnight. The girls winked at her, promised to be careful, and disappeared into one of the tents.

"You have the expression of someone sending their children to slaughter." Noah pecked her temple.

"I… I know that they know what they are doing." Lorelei chewed on her lip. "Well, the two have survived a dhrowghost and a vapir, they should be fine. But… say, why are they doing the dream-courting in the middle of the day? Why not in the evening when one sleeps anyway?"

"Well…" Noah fidgeted, and Lorelei heard an unusual tremble in his voice. He cleared his throat. "If a couple… you know… If they decide that they like each other after the courting, they can sneak under the cover of darkness to an inn, or a haystack, and…"

"I… I get the picture!" Lorelei blushed and stuttered.

Standing in awkward silence for a while, Noah and Lorelei exchanged a chuckle and decided it was time to get going, too.

The whole city was a jubilant chaos. Strolling from stall to stall, Lorelei soon forgot all her worries. There were painted silk scarves from Shareeba, fine perfumes from the eastern Marzbanats, ivory from the far south, spices from the Zirath archipelago, fur coats from Norden's wild lands, whale bone and strange dried algae from the Western Sea nomads. From one of the vendors, Noah purchased an exquisite writing set with a peacock feather and paper made with fragrant flower petals.

"For Shana," he said. "She has been practising her hexes all the time lately… and Kash-baba said that the Star of Norden will be repaired soon. She deserves a gift."

"You don't need to explain to me." Lorelei hugged his arm, understanding his apprehension. Shana had been more than polite lately. After the shock of the Red Hands' attack and Noah's predicament at the temple, she had turned into a completely different person from the obstinate, spoiled girl who had first welcomed them less than half a year ago. Now, Lorelei could see a way for the two of them to coexist if not in familial love then at least in mutual understanding.

But Noah wasn't finished with his gift shopping. At the next merchant, he bought Lorelei a filigree silver bangle. From a young Binsh woman, he got a long, embroidered ribbon and tied it into Lorelei's hair. Then came a Shareeban scarf depicting a fiery bird in flight. And then a pair of beaded slippers.

"Wait! Who is going to carry all that?!" Lorelei blinked and shook her head.

"Always at your service, my lady!" Jessup stepped forward with a large bag flung over his shoulder. "I came prepared."

"That's my squire!" Noah patted his back and quickly bought carved leather pouches for all their escorts. "You might be guarding us, but it's still a festival. Now, who's hungry?"

With a happy cry, their group stormed the cookery booths. The fragrances and tastes grabbed Lorelei's senses. There were pies with juicy whale meat, onions, and potatoes; cookies with almonds and rose water; giant skewers of pork, beef, and venison; fish grilled on sticks; charred eels with sweet sauce; honey breads with fruits and resins; long doughy noodles in spicy turtle soup; golden-baked chickens and other poultry; vegetable pottages, and many, many more. After the hearty meal, their group sprawled tired and full on the edge of a small fountain, while Aiden handed everyone cups of cold birch juice.

"I'm so round that I'll start rolling around!" moaned Jess with a smile, patting his belly.

"And you call yourself a guard," jabbed Lucas with a wink. "What will you do if someone attacks us? Roll them over?"

"I'll be just following my senior's example," retorted Jessup, and stretched out his tongue.

Dederi and Aiden only shook their heads, but didn't make much effort to hide their smiles. The tune of pipes and a lute came from nearby, and soon the space around the fountain was filled with waves of dancing people.

"Would you give me the honor?" Noah stretched out his hand.

"Happily, my love," chittered Lorelei and jumped after him.