After wandering around the public place for almost an hour, Mo'an finally found Nael. The young man was leaning against the wall of a booth, eating a skewer at a leisurely pace. He seemed to be lost in thought, yet he still noticed them amid the crowd. With a warm small on his lips, the young man waved at his friends, beckoning them to come closer.
The teenage girl elbowed her way over, and without a word, she took a bite of his skewer, glaring at her friend while slowly chewing the small, spicy meatball. Nael also didn't say anything, ignoring her rude action. He simply continued to eat, looking straight into her golden eyes without so much as a change in his expression.
It was Tiel who couldn't bear the silence and asked with a frown, "What the hell are you doing?"
They both answered at the same time, "Staring contest."
Raising an eyebrow, Tiel wisely decided not to pursue the subject. Since youth, those two always had weird habits, and he had long known that trying to understand them was a waste of time. Thus, he ignored them and turned his attention to the stand. He had already eaten quite a lot, but like Mo'an, his stomach was a terrifying black hole. There was no end to his appetite.
While the two idiots were looking at each other, eye to eye without blinking, Tiel decided to ask for a few skewers for himself and Shi'an, who had only eaten a little. Although he was less nervous than a few hours ago, there was still a knot in his stomach, which spoiled his appetite. Tiel didn't ask for his opinion and showed the food down his throat. That guy was too thin and needed to put on some fat!
With his mouth stuffed with food, Shi'an looked like a squirrel. Satisfied, Tiel nodded then wolfed down his skewers, almost eating the sticks while he was at it.
"So, where were you?" asked Mo'an, still staring into Nael's eyes.
"Well, you walked too fast, and the moment I got distracted, I lost sight of you in the crowd."
"Could you think of a better lie?" scoffed the teenage girl, stealing another meatball.
"Whatever I say, you won't believe it anyway."
"True," granted Mo'an, slowly chewing on the food.
The young man tended to disappear now and then, and it wasn't anything surprising, but as always, she couldn't restrain her curiosity. The teenage girl ended up asking what he had been doing, even though she knew he was a secretive man who rarely spoke the truth. Still, he was someone who had always been there for her, even in her darkest moments. So, she didn't mind the white lies. She only had asked out of habit and didn't go further into the matter.
After their staring contest, which Mo'an won, she excitedly pulled her friends to the next stall. She wanted to try all of them until their belly became round!
The group of four ate, drank, and chattered, reminiscing about their childhood. It made them realized how much of unbearable brats they were back then, always doing mischiefs and whatnot. It was a miracle their parents didn't explode in anger or faint from worry.
When the sun went down, Mo'an once again dragged her friends to the training area. There, people were dancing to their heart's content under the warm light of the round paper lanterns. The fireflies were also out, flashing their butt here and there throughout the foliage.
Some musicians sat on the ground, hitting the hand drums in rhythm, while some played the flute, taping their foot at the same time. The elderly who were too old to wiggle around clapped their hands, watching the young ones spinning as if there was no tomorrow.
With sparkling eyes, Mo'an pulled the men over, forcing her friends to dance with her despite their protestations, grunts, and whines.
Tiel wasn't gifted in this area and made a fool of himself, making the group laugh a little. Feeling embarrassed, he vented his frustration on Nael, trying to stomp on his feet while dancing. Instinctively, they seemed to coordinate their movement, whirling around each other to the music.
It was a funny yet beautiful sight.
As hours passed by, people started to go home, tired out. Before that, they took the time to come over and hug Mo'an or pat her back. Some people who were a bit more emotional cried on her shoulder, leaving snot and tears on her shirt in their wake.
Much to his dismay, Shi'an received the same treatment, making him want to dig a hole and hide.
Soon, only the four of them were left, and Tiel sprawled onto the ring, grunting, "How come I wasn't able to stomp on your feet a single time? Why are you so good at dodging?"
Wiping the sweat off his brow, Nael shrugged, "You're just too slow."
"Shut up."
On the side, Shi'an was dozing off, his head resting on his knees. He was exhausted after such a day. The sparring, then the feast and the dance. To top it all, there was also the nervousness of the past few days. It took its tool and mentally tired him out. His body finally made it clear that it was enough, putting him to sleep.
As for Mo'an, she was still bursting with energy, but seeing her half-dead friends, she also decided that it was time to end the evening. She sent her friends home, telling them not to kill each other, then she princess carried her brother back to their house.
The young man was dead asleep and didn't wake up when she jumped from tree to tree. He was so limp that she felt like she was holding a life-size rag doll in her arms. His eyelids didn't even twitch when she opened the door, which squeaked like a dying pig.
When asleep, the frown between his eyebrows eased, making Shi'an look much younger. Mo'an couldn't help but smile and kiss his forehead before tucking her older brother into bed. It would be great if her brother didn't frown so much when awake. He had such a beautiful face, yet it was ruined by the wrinkles.
At least, after tiring him out for so long, Shi'an would have a good sleep tonight. Well, the sleeping powder she put in his glass a little earlier was also a great help. That brother of hers loved to worry, and she knew his mind worked hard at night, keeping him awake for many hours. Sometimes, he didn't close his eyes until dawn.
It was their last night in familiar territory. Afterward, they probably wouldn't have the chance to sleep soundly for a very long time. If they didn't rest well tonight, when would they? Thus, she took the liberty to ensure his sleep. As long as he didn't find out, there wouldn't be any problem. What her brother didn't know couldn't hurt him.
For a while, Mo'an looked at his peaceful face, which reminded her of a baby. She bit her lips and shook her head, telling herself that it was time to prepare her luggage. She acted like leaving the tribe wasn't a big deal, but deep down, she was worried. Not for her, but for her brother. He wasn't a man cut out for military life, much less the battlefield. Yet, because they lost the war, they were both left with no choice but to become the Empire's pawns.
Again, Mo'an kissed her brother's forehead, mumbling, "I swear I will protect you. This time for sure, I won't let anyone take my brother from me, no matter who they are."
Years ago, at the beginning of the war, she had lost her elder brother, who was four years older than her. Now, she had only Shi'an left, and she couldn't bear the idea of losing him. So, she made a vow before her sleeping brother, then left his room with a heavy heart and went to her own.