Chapter 44 – Final Festival Preparation #1

Large wooden statues of different animals were placed mostly randomly throughout the village with the only restriction being the large open areas where people would gather.

Multiple larger pillars stood around the village with a rope at the top of them connecting them. Dangling from the ropes were a collection of leather, and woollen knitted figures clearly created by different people.

Jen and George kept the work simple today for their daughter. They stood side by side painting the pillars greens and blues.

Most of the adults began to take it easier so they would be able to fully enjoy the festival that was only two sleeps away.

The only exceptions–Henry and Albert–were both busy preparing the food for the event. They weren’t the only ones cooking, but together they handled roughly 60% of the event, everything was split between the rest of the village. George was going to bring a salad and dipping sauce.

They finished up the job earlier and began to walk home hand in hand.

Upon returning home Jen opened the door and looked around, “Looks like Anna isn’t home.”

George said, “I expect she will be back soon; she was probably nervous and wanted to move around first.”

They were shocked when Anna told them she had something to speak to them about. They asked to just talk to them now about it but with how fiercely Eva demanded no, they postponed the talk to today.

George asked, worried “I wonder what they want to tell us?” 

“Maybe she is finally ready to reveal another attribute?” Jen smiled, she was hoping that guess would be correct.

They had been talking about this for the last few nights before sleep. Anna had mostly always talked to them when she had something to ask, sometimes she waited a while but she asked.

Jen had been expecting a new attribute to be revealed eventually. Her logic for this was that characters in books with multiple personalities usually had different attributes–it acted as another way to differentiate the characters. Jen knew her reasoning was at the very least completely childish. 

After Anna awoke her Fire attribute due to stress she asked to confirm if they had any other attributes awakened with it. They denied it so Jen’s only chance before one just suddenly appeared was the attribute ceremony.

That, however, didn’t go exactly to plan as Anna burned the priest’s hand. Which Jen was sure interrupted something.

Jen had to admit the dude was kind of a dick, and wouldn’t be surprised if Syrus did that because he did something rude. She didn’t believe her action was on purpose to stop anything from being revealed because the priest should’ve just checked again. But looking back Jen realised he didn’t, most likely out of laziness. 

To preface she didn’t have an issue with Anna only having one attribute, she wouldn’t even be disappointed. This was just a childish fantasy that she entertained in moderation.

After a moment of silence, George said “I’m a little worried…” 

“...” Jen closed her eyes for a moment, “Same…” 

The fact that night Eva was the one who spoke to them with such determination worried them both. They were happy she was becoming more confident, but it felt like she was doing it cause she had to, not cause she wanted to.

Eva was always the quiet one, that could be because her two sisters were very much comfortable with their voices being heard, but the determined look she gave made them worry she found out something she didn't know and couldn’t deal with it.

They had no idea if that theory was even remotely correct, but still, they were worried. Deep down Jen was hoping it wasn’t anything bad and just something embarrassing like how the birds and the bees worked.

Their conversation died down as they waited for Anlesa to come home.

Minutes later.

Anna walked through the door, Eva was in control with the most dire look on her face.

Minutes before Anna returned home she was pacing around the edge of the forest.

[...] (Eva)

[You good Eva?] (Syrus)

Anna continued to pace around, Eva was in complete control. She was going to be the one to talk to their parents about the facts she learned. She researched it, so she knew the answer to give best.

But the nerves were getting to her.

She was never good at important talks.

[...] (Eva)

[Lilly, they are probably already home by now.] (Luna)

[...] (Eva)

[Are you sure you don’t want us to start the discussion?] Syrus took control of the body and stopped the pacing.

[...No…] (Eva)

[I will be the one to do it.] (Eva)

[Lilly you don’t have to force yourself to do anything.] (Luna)

[It’s fine… I may have… never had such a… serious conversation with my parents before… but I’ll manage.] Eva was scared this whole thing was going to go horribly.

[Well if you're worried the meeting will just be rain and clouds, just add a bit of good news.] (Syrus)

[What good news do we even have?] (Luna)

Eva thought for a moment, [I might have something.] 

[See that’s good, think about the positives, like how Jen and George will be able to help now knowing what you know.] (Syrus)

[...] (Luna)

[Help…?] Eva and Luna were sceptical that Jen and George would be able to do anything. They wanted to believe their parents could help, but realistically the most that could be done was to improve the village’s defences. Yes, they could help confirm Eva’s theory that it wasn’t only their village’s history that was changed, but could they help stop or find out who was behind this? They thought no. The possible suspects basically included anyone powerful enough or be in a position to edit public records. Motivation was also off the table because the motive could literally be anything, from a noble trying to drive them off their land to a bet between insane friends. Eva had many sleepless nights over this and even if she desperately dreamed that her parents would have a solution, she just couldn’t believe they could.

The trio's conversation ended and they finally made their journey back home. 

Once they reached the door, Eva took control, she knew this was something she had to talk about. It was her fear that led her down this path.

She shook for a moment, but with Syrus and Luna’s support, she grabbed the door handle and walked inside.

Bobple

I thought about having the conversation happen, but after drafting it, it just became spewing out the facts we already knew. So just going to skip right past it to the characters reactions! 

Anyway, festival starts in two chapters. Also new schedule is one chapter a week. I do want to increase it for certain story points (and general overall), but I will be stick to this amount for the time being. I am hoping it can one day increase to two chapters a week at some point, maybe more, but I will be doing that slowly.

Next chapter will be like this one but flipflopped. So Anna first then Jen and George. It's going to be a big one. I'm just working on a few things right now, also expect a poll next chapter, going ask if people prefer 1 chapter a week, or 2 two chapters a fortnight (That come out 24 hours apart). I want to find the best way to post chapters for this story, so if you have any (feasible) suggestions please comment them.