The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of amber and violet as the Redwyne estate buzzed with uncharacteristic excitement. The annual Firefly Festival—a celebration of the first summer bloom—was underway in the nearby town of Larkspur, and Stephanie had declared (with the force of a royal decree) that she and Aizen would attend.
"Hurry up, Aizen! The fireflies won't wait!" Stephanie tugged at his sleeve, her rose-gold curls bouncing beneath a ribboned bonnet. At eight years old, she'd traded her usual frilly dresses for a simpler linen gown, though it still bore enough embroidery to feed a peasant family for a month.
Aizen adjusted the strap of the picnic basket he'd been tasked with carrying. "My lady, the festival lasts all night. We're not late."
"We're late for fun," she huffed, dragging him toward the estate gates. Vermis, disguised as a leather-bound journal in the basket, vibrated with laughter.
"Master, your suffering is most entertaining. I've calculated a 63% chance she'll lose you in the crowd and blame you for it," the grimoire chimed telepathically.
"Not helping," Aizen thought back.
Larkspur's Firefly Festival
The town square was a kaleidoscope of lanterns, music, and laughter. Stalls lined the cobblestone streets, selling everything from candied apples to charmed trinkets that glowed like captured starlight. Children darted through the crowd, their hands sticky with syrup, while elders clapped along to a minstrel's lute.
Stephanie's eyes widened as she spun in place, taking it all in. "Aizen! Look! They've got sparkler wands!"
"Please don't set anything on fire," Aizen said, already resigning himself to disaster.
She ignored him, darting to a stall where a vendor demonstrated wandwork by conjuring tiny, fluttering fireflies. Stephanie slapped a handful of coins on the counter. "I'll take the strongest one!"
The vendor chuckled. "For you, little miss? How about this?" He handed her a slender wand tipped with a moonstone. "It's keyed to water magic—perfect for beginners."
Stephanie scowled. "I'm not a beginner. Give me the fire one."
Aizen intervened, swapping the moonstone wand for a safer, flower-summoning model. "This one's prettier. It matches your… uh… violent personality."
Stephanie eyed the wand, then smirked. "Fine. But you're carrying the sparklers."
Games and Jealousy
The festival games were rigged, as all good carnival games should be. Aizen discovered this firsthand when he spent ten minutes trying to knock over bottles with underweight balls while Stephanie heckled him.
"You throw like a soggy noodle!" she teased, clutching a stuffed unicorn she'd won by threatening the ringtoss attendant.
"Says the girl who cheated with a levitation spell," Aizen muttered.
Their banter was interrupted by a boy around Aizen's age, his cheeks dusted with freckles and his arms full of prize tokens. "Hey! You're Lady Redwyne's servant, right? Wanna team up for the tug-of-war?"
Stephanie stepped between them, her unicorn clutched like a weapon. "He's busy."
The boy blinked. "Uh… we just need one more person—"
"He's busy with me."
Aizen sighed. "Another time, maybe."
As the boy retreated, Stephanie whirled on Aizen. "Why were you talking to him? Do you like him?"
"I don't even know him."
"Good. You don't need anyone else." She grabbed his hand, her grip tight. "Come on. The firefly boats are next."
The River of Light
At the heart of the festival, the townsfolk gathered at the riverbank to release tiny paper boats, each carrying a candle and a wish. Stephanie knelt at the water's edge, her wand tracing delicate patterns in the air as she conjured a fleet of boats with sails made of rose petals.
"Make a wish, Aizen," she commanded, handing him a boat.
He hesitated. In his past life, wishes felt like shouting into the void. But here, with magic humming in the air, it almost seemed possible. I wish… I can keep her from becoming a villain.
Stephanie released her boat, her whisper barely audible. "I wish you'll stay with me forever."
The river lit up as hundreds of boats drifted downstream, their candles flickering like earthbound stars. For a moment, the world softened—the crowd's chatter faded, and even Vermis stayed silent.
Then Stephanie sneezed, accidentally igniting her remaining boats.
"Oops."
Fireworks and Promises
They ended the night on a grassy hill overlooking the town, the sky erupting in bursts of enchanted fireworks that shimmered like liquid gold. Stephanie sprawled on the picnic blanket, her head pillowed on Aizen's arm.
"This was the best day ever," she declared, crumbs from her third honey tart dusting her chin.
"Because you didn't set anything on fire?"
"Because you didn't leave."
Aizen glanced at her. "Where would I go?"
"I don't know. Away. Everyone else does." Her voice wavered, just slightly. "Mother and Father are always in the capital. The maids quit. Even my tutors get replaced."
Aizen sat up, turning to face her. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? You're stuck with me."
Stephanie stared at him, her sapphire eyes reflecting the fireworks. Then she lunged, wrapping her arms around him in a vice-like hug. "You promise?"
"I promise."
"Master, this is a textbook example of emotional manipulation," Vermis noted.
"Shut up, Vermis."