The next day, we continued our travels across the rugged terrain. We followed no proper road at first. Only once my parents decided we were far enough from the border were they willing to be seen by other people. After a few hours of walking, we joined a traveling trader’s caravan. It was only thanks to that friendly trader that we made it to the first of the Free Cities before nightfall.

Evening's setting sun had turned the city gold when we finally arrived. Venixia, A beautiful island city crisscrossed with canals. There were so many canals and waterways that they replaced roads as a form of transportation. From our vantage point, we could see thousands of small boats moving through the city. It was a place unlike any other.

“From here we will take a ship to Aktaio, capital of the free cities. For now, we will find an inn and take a bath. Get the stench of travel off of us.”

Mom cleared her throat. “Stench of travel?”

Dad gave a nervous laugh. “I did not mean you, darling. You would smell wonderful even if covered in filth.”

“Uh-huh. Nice try. You are right though; a bath sounds lovely.”

I poked at Charly with a mischievous grin. “I think Charly needs it the most. I think he wet himself on the way down the mountain."

“I DID NOT!” he shouted.

“Wren, be nice to your brother,” my mom said with a sigh.

“Fine,” I replied, reluctantly leaving Charly alone.

We hired a small boat that took us to the city proper. I was confused when I saw the ferrymen. He was wearing a white mask and a flamboyant red outfit.

My mother smiled and laughed. “Seems we came to the city at a good time. I haven’t seen this since I was a girl.”

“What is going on?” Charly asked.

The ferryman spoke with a booming voice that echoed through his mask. “It is the Carnivale! Drink, dance, and be merry. The day is still young. The parade will be going through the city soon. You do not want to miss it.”

As we got closer to the city, we began to hear music. People in boats with instruments. Everyone was wearing masks. Some were painted bright colors, while others had elongated features that would make you laugh. The outfits became even more outrageous as we saw more and more people. Colors bright enough to hurt the eyes. Dresses big enough to shame a peacock. Even from a distance, I could smell the alcohol in the air.

The ferryman was able to bring the boat right up to the steps of the inn. It was a white, multistoried building with large pillars. Laughter and music rang from inside.

We paid the ferryman and reserved two rooms for us to stay in. The bottom floor was filled with rambunctious groups, crowding every inch. Luckily the baths were quiet and private.

After we settled in, my father came up, holding four colorful masks. “Might as well join the fun. We won’t be able to charter a passage before tomorrow anyway.”

He put on a mask with an elongated nose. He handed another with a giant mouth to my mother. She scowled at him, but still took the mask. The mask Charly and I got were both painted to look as if they had giant eyes.

We were then ushered out into the streets where hundreds of people crowded around. Decorated boats passed down the canal, carrying women dressed in outfits so bright they made everyone else pale in comparison.

Music echoed through the streets. Many people were dancing. Couples danced together, and others danced alone, but everyone was having fun.

Dad turned to my mom and offered his hand. “I would be honored if a woman as beautiful as yourself would join me for a dance.”

Mom did not hesitate to take his hand. The two of them held each other tightly and began to dance. It was a slow, intimate dance. I could see my mother resting her head against Dad’s chest. The image would have been more romantic, if not for the ridiculous masks.

A tall girl actually walked up and asked Charly for a dance. He stuttered for a moment, but I gave him a shove and he agreed.

A boy had come up to me for a dance too, but I refused. He walked away with his head down. My father stopped when he saw this. “Go dance. Have fun.”

I looked down at the ground, feeling my cheeks grow warm. “I… I don’t know how.”

“Really? Four hundred years and you have never been dancing?”

“There was never time for dancing.”

“There is always time for dancing!” he bellowed. “You don’t have to know how. Just move however you feel. Follow your partner and you will be fine. It’s not like we are in a ballroom.”

He grabbed me and dragged me over to the dejected boy. He gave me a gentle push and spoke to the boy. “She is shy and doesn’t know how to dance. Can you show her how?”

The boy nodded and took my hand. after a few moments of floundering, I realized it was actually really easy to follow his lead.

Time passed, and the sun had long since set. The excitement was far from over for the people partying, but my previous night’s lack of sleep had caught up with me. I excused myself and returned to the inn. My mom and dad still held each other in their arms late into the night.

It was a restless night’s sleep, but better than the night before. Outside the fun still had not stopped. Music still filled the streets even after the sun rose and night turned to day.

“How long are they going to keep at it?” I asked looking out at the crowded street.

“Carnivale lasts half a month,” my mother replied with a yawn.

I nearly tripped. “Half a month? How does anyone get any sleep?”

“You get used to the noise.”

My father walked up. He had a spring in his step this morning and a grin from ear to ear.

I looked back and forth between the two of them and grinned. “Am I going to have a new baby brother or sister in nine months?”

“Wren!” My mother shouted with a blush. Dad just grinned. My mother turned and slapped his arm. “Don’t encourage her!”

My father put on a stern expression and spoke in an exaggerated voice. “Yes, Wren you need to act more like a proper lady. Now, I know you don’t have a proper role model to show you how but…”

A kick in the shin interrupted him this time. My father began to hop around on one foot.

“What do you mean by her not having a proper role model?” Mom asked with her hands on her hips.

“Oh! Will you look at that? I think I see the ship captain we need to talk to,” my father said, quickly excusing himself.

“You get back here! We are not done with this conversation!”