A Carnival Arrives

[Ayshela]

Due to inclement weather on the way, the carnival crew is late in arriving by several days.

 

 

It was just past dawn when the caravan of wagons passed through the gates of the Pen Keep. Even in the misty morning light it was clear that these wagons, while sturdy and functional, were quite extraordinary. Their once vivid colours had faded through months of sun and dust, wind and rain. The gaily painted designs were faded and peeling. Yet through the length of the caravan ran an undercurrent of excitement which breathed life to canvas and paint and left faint strains of unidentifiable music hovering in the air.

 

The caravan swung to the right as it passed through the gates and pulled to a stop further along the wall of the Courtyard. Doors flew open and people poured out, looking around them at the available space and looking for their contacts. Alaeha, Ayshela, Salinye and Nyyark stood near the door to the Pen. They strode across the Courtyard to meet their contact, the crew leader.

 

"Morning. I hear ya need a carnival set up. This be where ya want it?" Dain asked, turning to look across the Courtyard.

 

"Good morning. Indeed we do, and yes, it is. Is there anything you need of us?" Alaeha asked carefully.

 

"A couple'a people who know what ta put where's all." Dain replied.

 

Alaeha waved Ayshela forward. "This is Ayshela," she said. "And I believe she's drafted Nyyark to help as well. If you need anything further, they can either arrange it or find one who can help. Are you sure you need nothing else?"

 

As Dain shook his head in negation, Alaeha nodded and returned to the Keep, continuing her discussion with Salinye.

 

Ayshela, Nyyark and Dain strode through the Courtyard discussing plans and options and deciding how best to set things up, then the small army of people appeared with ropes and poles and what seemed like miles of canvas in multiple colours. The main tents were the usual almost-white, and tan, and buttercream colours, but there were many smaller white tents gaily striped in blue, green, or yellow. The main tents were set up in long rows encircling the fountain. Some were smaller and set right next to each other, open on three sides and back to back to allow people to circulate freely. Two were lengthy tents also open on three sides, but subdivided by canvas walls to create smaller spaces for vendors to show their wares. The striped tents were set up in clusters around the edges, near the wall. Some were open on three sides for open activities, some were open only on one side as if to contain classrooms or work spaces.

 

Several of the numerous people swarmed around the main tents setting up booths with jewelry and clothing, craftwork and decorative items, and even one booth with very rare books! A few of the others began to set up carts with refreshments of various types, some the usual carnival fare and others with odd delicacies not usually seen in the neighborhood of the Pen Keep. Ayshela noted these booths and her intention to come back when they were open. She noticed also that there were empty spaces here and there through the main tents - vacant booths to allow any Pen member who had goods or services to sell to set up shop as well. With an approving nod, she turned back toward the entrance.

 

Nyyark led a few of the remaining workers through stringing lights all around the edges of the tents and in graceful arches from one tent to another. Even the Oak Tree came in for its share of the magic, fine ropes strung from branch to branch hung with dully gleaming orbs that promised beautiful multicolored light at night.

 

Outside the walls of the keep other workers were swarming around strange configurations of metal and wood and other materials not readily identifiable. The murmuring hum of music sounded most loudly out here, like the taunting sound of a melody almost remembered. As the workers manipulated the odd collections of materials, in a relatively short time they began to take on familiar shapes - and then rides became recognizable! Ayshela felt a gleeful grin spreading, and turned eagerly to greet Dain as he approached.

 

"One'a our fam'lies is sick, seems. We're gonna be short some people ta run the rides. Ya got anyone lookin' fur a day's work, here?" Dain asked, with a worried look over the arrangement of rides.

 

"We - might," Ayshela said thoughtfully. "I'll ask around. Do they apply to you?"

 

Dain nodded agreement and returned to his crews while Ayshela looked over the setup with concern. She'd have to see if there were people wanting to run rides for a while.

 

Ayshela turned, hearing Nyyark and the light crews behind her. She joined them, and between them they strung trails of twinkling fairy lights twining back toward the Guild halls to entice the membership back to the activities held there. There was a bustle of activity back there, and Ayshela nearly ran right over Lady Celes and Alaeha while attaching the end of the lights to the doorframe.

 

"Hey! Come look!" she cried in excitement, grabbing them by the hands and dragging them off down the trail. With bubbling glee she led them back down through the fairy lights and across to the rides, then back through to the Courtyard and the booths prepared to open. Sitting at the edge of the fountain she practically bounced in delight. "Isn't it wonderful?" she bubbled. "Now, all we need is people."

[Nyyark]

Nyyark grinned to himself in satisfaction. The Carnival looked absolutely wonderful. He hurried across the courtyard towards the AAA Guild Tent, eager to start his contributions to the festivities. ‘Yes,’ he thought, ‘everything is per-‘.

 

Suddenly struck, Nyyark tumbled to the ground. Panic began to rise as he felt two thick arms wrapped around his waist, squeezing the air out of him.

 

“And stay out!” Shouted a deep accented voice from a wagon doorway.

 

“Wha-what?” gasped Nyyark as he struggled against the heavy weight pinning him down.

 

“I’m sorry” rolled a voice, and Nyyark could suddenly breathe again.

 

Nyyark blinked as the weight disappeared. Putting his elbows to the ground, he hoisted himself up to a sitting position. Before him was a small, slightly misshapen figure. It had on ill fitting clothes that billowed off of its asymmetrical figure, pulled thin by an ugly brown belt. A large nub of a nose predominated the center of its face. It had large, thick lips, which bulged even thicker on the left. Above the bulge was a round mole with a single black hair, and above that, a small brown eye. On the right however was the largest and cutest blue eye Nyyark had ever seen. Both were set under thick bushy eyebrows, as black and greasy as the hair jutting out from under his cap.

 

“Hi,” said the stranger, “I’m Gugs the Dwarf. Now, I’m not sayin’ I’m one of them there mystical Dwarven types, all I’m sayin’ is I was born short as it were, among other things.”

 

“Hi Gugs,” replied a slightly confused crowboy, “I’m Nyyark.” Nyyark shook Gugs’ disproportionately large hand.

 

“I’m sorry about all that there squeezin’ earlier. I seem to have this hugglin’ problem see. I’d like to say it was a witch’s charm, or some such other magical ailment, but I was just born to it. My folks say I was queer child. Why,” Gugs smacks his leg with a laugh, “they still do say I’m quite the odd one. Said I was like dog in heat they did, only without all the humpin’. I was broke of that real young. Anyways, I hitched a ride with them wagon folk to try and get to this carnival I’d heard about. But being holed-up with all that bad weather as it were, I seem to have worn out my welcome. They said I was spookin’ the horses. They wanted to lock me in a box for the rest of the trip, but,” The big blue eye moved uncomfortably close to Nyyark’s face as Gug’s lifted his eyebrow, “I huggled the key.”

 

“Um Gugs,” Nyyark said as he tried to peel the arms from around his shoulders, “your hugging me again.”

 

“Oh sorry Nyyark, it that hugglin’ problem actin’ up again.” Said Gugs, releasing Nyyark. Gugs looked Nyyark up and down. “You know, seeing as how I’ve just been fired and all, do you know what I can do around here?”

 

“Ummm” said Nyyark, while scratching his head. “Oh! Are you any good with maps?”

 

“Why sure!” Said Gugs, “I used to be the one who showed the new folk how to get to the well. Carried me on my back they did.”

 

“Great!” said Nyyark, “Then I want you to take this map, and show them to these places.”

 

Highlighted were the Following:

 

--StoryWeaver's Booth--

 

--Temp AVV links page--

 

--AAA Guild Tent--

 

--Stalls and Booths(Member held services)--

 

--Contest Staging Area(Member contests)--

 

With that Nyyark pried Gugs off of him again, and hurried off to the AAA Guild Tent.