Fete reassurances

The whole village was buzzing with activity today, indeed had been for the past few days.

"Roburt... when do you think they'll get here?" Shoda eyed the preparations going on down the road. It looked like the pavilion was being raised and the bonfire mound was being piled with kindling and logs. She bit her lip nervously. She and Laok had never been to one of the famous fetes. They only happened every five to ten years or so, an opportunity for all the tiny outlying mixed villages to come together, trade goods and services, and equally important, provide young Humans and Jothani chances to meet other youngsters their age. Shoda herself was quite past the age when young Jothani women normally married, but because of recent raids it just wasn't safe for large numbers of Jothani to travel openly anymore.

Roburt seemed to sense what she was thinking and circled her shoulders with a long bony arm and smiled, "Lassie, I don't think ye needin' to be worryin'. I've been keepin' the worry hounds busy enough chasin' me own mind about these years since ye parents be trottin' off this earth, dah? I do be seein' great things for you and Laok, and be keepin' in mind, Ye be not the only older young'un comin' lookin for companionship."

She smiled shyly. She was 26 this year, but Jothani usually married ten or more years earlier. Now that she thought of it, Laok was getting a little up there too. It wasn't like she should really be worrying anyway, pure Self users were pretty rare, so they would both be welcome wherever they went.