magic in the mountains » Places

         

Cassian Atwater - HTML #7E958Dxxxxxxxx&xxxxxxxxElewin Dame - HTML #716884
the time of year when the coldest peak of the Cleif Trye Mountains melts into green grass, the Summer Solstice

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xThe witch village of Desdarea was always blanketed in snow, aside from one day of the year. On the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the witches of the weather specialty would rid the village of any sign of snow for one true day of summer. It was a sign of hope, that the witches and sorcerers of the world would continue on even in the harshest of conditions.

The village center was the heart of the festival. The weather witches and those involved with preparing the festival made sure that every inch of the square was filled with colorful lights and mind-boggling decorations that made the usual dullness turn into an actual dreamland. There was nothing more sacred to witches than celebrations, and Summer Solstice was no exception. It was the one time outcast and beloved were in one area to live as witches were meant to - without any abandon. There were even travelers that came in just for the Solstice, bringing in merchants and entertainers alike to partake in the memorialized day.

Cassian would have been completely content watching the festival from the comfort of his bedroom. His room in the house had a great view of the village center, but his parents knew very well that if he was left in the house, his eyes would not move from the pages of his books. So he trailed behind Nandor and Ilari, hoping to find some shadowed corner in the bright festival where he wouldn't be bothered. "Isn't it exciting to see all the grass again, Cassian? This is my favorite day of the year," His mother tried to encourage him, but he merely shrugged. This day, while joyous for many people, served as a reminder for just as many that they were trapped here in the snowy mountain top and could only enjoy this green grass through the efforts of their own magic, not from nature itself.

But his father gave him a look to play along, and Cassian finally murmured, "It's great, mom." His parents were also much more friendly and talkative with the members of the village, which was more of a struggle for Cassian. There were a few people his age that he could hold a conversation with, but a few of the older witches in the village always acted strangely around him, which made him feel even more self-conscious than usual. As his parents fell into different conversations, he moved to a more secluded area of the festival where he could read and hopefully avoid any further disturbances.

Year after year, Elewin had grown bored of the Summer Solstice. The only thing it was good for was keeping the Elder Witch and her council preoccupied with the event that they didn't bother with her or her family for one night. Engel and Lyris had stopped participating a few years back, leaving Elewin to wander out on her own to have a little fun for the night. There was no way Venus was going to miss the Solstice festival, so she wouldn't be completely alone. Most of witches in their generation would be there, including Cassian and Paxton - who she preferred not to associate with but Venus always enjoyed messing around with the two sorcerers.