July Mini Event - Seaside Sway

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It’s the end of July. Summer is peaking, hitting its stride. In the forest, frogs sing and fireflies dance through the night, and dragonflies go about their business in the sun. In town, farmers roll up their sleeves and young ladies swap out their many layers for breezy floral gowns. And on the beach, swimmers take to the sea for water at its warmest and young crabs climb up from the sun-drenched sand. Kora’s glory at its finest!

For about a week now, a flier has been up on the community bulletin board. :

Midsummer Beach Festival!

Join us on July 21st and 22nd for our annual beach bash!

Organized by the Temple of Sacred Roots in tandem with Town Hall, all townsfolk are invited to join in for seaside festivities in honor of the height of summer. Activities will include:

• Live music (Sign-ups for performers will be available at Empty Pockets Music Bar)
• Locally made strawberry wine from last summer’s strawberries
• Beach pit barbecues for lunch on both days
• A hot food banquet for dinner on the 21st
• A fish fry breakfast on the 22nd
• Paper lantern float
• Beach games
• Tents and bed rolls for beach camping

We look forward to seeing you there!

And, as promised, the festival opens up on the afternoon of July 21st, where the smell of barbecue rises up from Tawny Beach. Tables sit on wooden plinths to avoid sinking in the sand, bearing fresh summer fruit and drinks. Pork, fish, and lamb roast in a sand pit. Enchanted barrels covered in magic frost keep frozen treats like orange juice shaved ice and strawberry sorbet cold. A station for assembling little wood-and-paper floating lanterns can be seen off in the distance and Cormac and the Banshees are setting up for their opening set. Tents and bed rolls have been set up toward the Marina. Literally everything is decorated with thin golden coins on strands of twine, sea shells, and sea glass. In the center of it all, stones have been laid into the shape of a massive compass rose, whose center houses the makings of a bonfire.

Those who were here last year will recognize that this festival is much larger than last year’s, and was not preceded with desperate pleas from Town Hall for help providing food and decor. It speaks plainly to the health of the town now. Even with all that has been going on, the growing population and renewed sense of community and purpose have improved matters around the island considerably.

Near the tent area, a family of crabs (one red, one blue, and three purple) can be observed. The small purple ones are poking each other with sticks. The Limoncello has made port, and Royal and his crew are splitting helper duty with the staff of Town Hall, and are dancing and partying the rest of the time. All is as it should be. For once, there is no dangerous surprise lurking in the shadows.

So, what’s on your agenda? During the day, volleyball, swimming, and a game that involves throwing small fabric sacks of dry lentils into wooden hoops in the sand can be enjoyed, alongside a plethora of frozen treats. At night, food and wine and lemonade are served at the banquet tables and lively music plays on the temporary wooden stage for dancing by firelight. There is also the lantern float, which encourages participants to send a glowing lantern out on the water in honor of the lost and the distant, ending the first night in a moment of peaceful sobriety. You may also notice a charming stranger milling around, cozying up to Royal, and drinking after nightfall--- a woman with dark olive skin, raven hair that soaks up the firelight, and rum brown eyes who wears a billowing blue dress and (whenever she hasn’t placed it onto someone else’s head for fun) a wide-brimmed black hat.

Then, at night, camp on the beach under the stars or head home by additional lantern light. The festivities will continue until the following afternoon! Feel free to share your beach fit in the fashion show thread below, as well. Enjoy!

Comments

[lightconductor]

Watson has not commented aloud on Cerrit's lack of clothing. On the one hand, feathers seem to make everything a little less indecent and he's not about to complain about it. In fact, maybe he doesn't want to be the one to suggest that it isn't appropriate, because it is in his favour if it is. On the other hand, however, it's still no clothing in mixed company, and Watson simply could not ever. For one, the short sleeves help cover his scarred shoulder, and he'd prefer not to show that off to the entire beach.

"How are the oysters?"

He looks them over, noting to himself that Cerrit really is a much better swimmer than he might have expected, with all those feathers. The oysters are going to be fresh, at least, off-season or no. Watson touches Cerrit's arm casually.

"And is it presumptuous if I ask to share, if they're any good?"

[maltesefalcon]

"I would love to share with you." Cerrit leans in just enough so his feathers tickle the bare part of Watson's arm. This is absolutely meant as a tease. Decent? Indecent? Those are civilized concepts. Today, Cerrit's not trying quite as hard as usual to fit the mold of a civilized being.

[lightconductor]

"Thank you." He presses a kiss to the side of Cerrit's beak and settles himself beside him, a hand at the small of his back. It seems ridiculously daring to him, which is probably why he does it. "You didn't tell me if they're good. Or do I have to find out for myself?"

Watson holds out a hand for an oyster.

[maltesefalcon]

"Ah-ah-ah. Close your eyes and open your mouth." Cerrit's crest lifts, mock-patronizingly. "You'll find out quicker, that way."

[lightconductor]

A brief flash of incredulity passes over his face. Here and now, of all places and times? Not that he's complaining, either. He raises an eyebrow.

"Utterly shameless," Watson says, and leans forward, mouth open and eyes closed.

[maltesefalcon]

"It's a good thing you like me, in spite of my lack of shame." As he says this, Cerrit holds up the shell, slides the oyster into Watson's mouth. "Perhaps because of it, if I'm lucky."

[lightconductor]

Watson slurps up the oyster, and gives himself a moment to savour both the flavour and the position he's in, eyes still closed.

"That probably does have something to do with it," he says, keenly aware that he might have A Type. He feels certain (and is correct) that his face is flushed.

[maltesefalcon]

Cerrit's beak nuzzles against Watson's neck, but only for a second, before he pulls away, chuckling.

"The oysters are very good. The look on your face is better. Both have the same properties, for me." You know, turning him on.

[lightconductor]

Watson laughs as well. "I cannot believe I let you do that in public," he says, mock-reproachful, and rests his head against Cerrit.

A moment passes.

"Another?"

[maltesefalcon]

"Of course." He cracks another open with his beak, chuckling. "Do you think these would go well with the strawberry wine?"

[lightconductor]

"Oh, very likely," Watson sighs, then turns to look at Cerrit directly. "I don't suppose you're about to tell me you have some of it?"

[maltesefalcon]

"Not yet, but we can get some pretty easily." Give him an excuse to get up and shake a tailfeather at Watson. Just try it.

[lightconductor]

"That," he points out, smiling, "would make for a rather romantic picnic. Are we having one of those?"

It's been an age since he had one of those.

[maltesefalcon]

"We could. Perhaps one of us grabs wine, the other grabs food and a blanket to lay out, we reconvene and do some romantic things?" He hasn't done a romantic picnic since...probably before the kids, if we count him and Wrayne hunting together as young birds.

[lightconductor]

Watson stares out pensively at the sea for a moment, then affectionately squeezes Cerrit's leg.

"Let's," he says. While part of him has to wonder if it's a good idea to carry on like this for a relationship that he knows has an expiry date -- well, he is who he is, and there are some things he knows he's a fool about. "I'll get the wine."

[maltesefalcon]

"I'll be back shortly with the food, then." He stands, and shakes the sand off his feathers, tail flickering and wings spread and absolutely confident that Watson wouldn't recognize the steps of an eisfuura mating dance.

Shh, tonight is for fun.

[lightconductor]

He certainly doesn't recognise any such thing. Still, it's a bit of an eye-catching display, isn't it? It's impressive, and beautiful, and he might be staring just a little before he catches himself and smiles.

Watson does think briefly of a peacock, but he'd be the first one to admit he has no idea if that's a fair comparison.

He comes back soon enough with a bottle of wine and some appropriate glassware, and some faint concerns. "Here," he says, when he sees Cerrit again, "did you want to move a little further down the beach?" More private, is what he means.

[maltesefalcon]

"You're nervous being seen like this." Observation, rather than a question or judgment. Cerrit's not really surprised. Watson worries about proper, and perhaps he's right to. "Alright, further down the beach."

[lightconductor]

"Not because of you," Watson says, hurriedly. He's suddenly aware what that sounds like, and it is immediately intensely important to him that this is clear. "I'm not ashamed of you, Cerrit, nor of people knowing about us. But if I am having a romantic picnic with oysters and wine... Well, say that I'm trying to avoid interruptions."

Even as he says it, he isn't sure he's not being ridiculous, or even prudish, which isn't generally a word he would have ever applied to himself.

[maltesefalcon]

A pause. Cerrit whistles quietly.

"Are you thinking enough of the risk of sand in places sand ought not be?"

[lightconductor]

He grunts, trying not to laugh.

"That's a calculated but acceptable risk," Watson says, firmly.