One Between the Stars

Chapter 10

Carson took a deep breath. "Ah. Do you smell that, Art?"

"Fuel and exhaust?" Arthre shouldered his backpack.

"No! It's celebration. And do you know what the celebration is about?"

"I give up."

"Oh, Art, you're no fun. Us. Well, more specifically, me." The boy snorted and started walking toward the city. Carson followed after him, a charming smile on his face.

They'd stopped by a small planet kingdom called Wynoa to refuel when they had spotted brightly colored streamers and banners in the city. When they were informed that it was a festival in honor of incoming gallivanters, Carson had insisted on going.

When they reached the city, Carson positively lit up. He was almost immediately identified and soon was caught up in a whirlwind of admirers and fans, both those who knew his name and those who just admired gallivanters in general. Arthre stood back some, shouldering his backpack. He wasn't one for the attention that Carson soaked up.

The planet kingdom Wynoa was small, but colorful and quite elegant. Arthre admired the architecture; gothic, but modern, gleaming in the star that warmed the planet. The castle sparkled especially brightly; it seemed to be decorated with diamonds, and when the light hit it just right it shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow.

"Come on Art! Keep up!" Carson called, and Arthre ran after him. The gallivanter was on his way to a restaurant across the street. The squire caught up to him and said, "Where are you going?"

"To get something to eat," he answered. "I'm famished."

They ate at a little café that had a few tables set up outside. After smiling charmingly at the waiter, who was practically groveling at his feet, Carson leaned back in his chair and started humming to himself, flashing grins at giggling girls that passed by and stared at him. Arthre tried to look like he was enthralled in the menu.

"Isn't this great, Art?" he asked. "It's nice to be appreciated."

"I suppose," Arthre replied, perhaps a bit short.

"Oh, don't be that way," he said. "We'll be at the convention in no time, and then you can check out all the museums that your little geeky heart desires."

"We don't need to be stopped this long," Arthre said. "All we needed was to refill on fuel."

Carson ignored him, studying his menu. Arthre sighed.

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"Oh - my..."

"Pretty spectacular, right?"

Ionia had no words. The festival was nothing like she had ever seen. Musicians played from every street corner, playing upbeat tunes that people everywhere were dancing to in the streets. Streamers hung from every building, posters and sculptors welcoming gallivanters were everywhere. And the people themselves were just as extravagant as their city; dressed in costumes of every color, many wearing masks, more than a few holding suspicious looking bottles. Ionia even had to swerve out of the way of a man on stilts, who in turn waved at her. She waved back, awed.

She and Ryn moved through the streets, Ionia in a silent stupor and Ryn singing along with the other people that shouted familiar lyrics at the top of their lungs. They soon came upon floats and parades, dances-offs and even a concert where young adults pumped their fists in the air and screamed lyrics full of a combination of angst and a love for life. Shops were open, employees with signs yelling that they made the best pies in town, or that they forged weapons that would last any gallivanter a lifetime. Still more people set up buffet tables and people crowded around to pile food up on their plates.