Submission (#1718) Approved

Gift Art Submission Link: https://worldofeyre.com/submissions/view/1674
Related Prompt: Festive Gifting Spirit
2nd Submission
Regional Affinity: Silveil
Elnin: #ELN1339

Silveil, the lands of lights, beauty, and wonder. So different from what she was used to in the forests yet still the same. Where there was peace and beauty carved from soft, delicate edges, here it was rough, hard, and loud. Blaring sights and sounds flooded the senses and bodies buzzed around, scurrying away into every corner in sight. It was a flow unfamiliar yet resembled the river itself. A few uncomfortable bumps and shoves in she was becoming accustomed to moving in a mass of others. For a fleeting moment Akilah felt as if she had transformed into the moonlight dancers herself. Dodging and weaving through the crowd with lights flickering all around felt solitary yet brought a peculiar sense of belonging she never felt before. Although she walked so long and saw so many only some eyes met with lantern light caught flickering in their gaze. Few lingering a little too long. A flicker, flicker. She kept pressing on.

Shops, vendors, and performers came into view. Streetlamps lined the carefully bricked footpaths with strings of paper lanterns dancing on the horizon. It was such a vastly new horizon with her familiar starscape faded back as if to give this here and now the limelight. Scents whipped around like tendrils whispering promises of warm bellies and tired eyes. Rowdy games with cups, sticks, and pieces created dotted clusters of sudden excitement and sorrow.

A sign ahead snapped her attention; "Safe Haven", she breathed, a place to rest. Luckily there were many in such a grand city home to so many vagabonds and traveling merchants. Constant movement was the way here; the ebb and flow, being able to adapt to your surroundings in an instant. The thrill enticed her, drew her in. She could build something here, certainly, but what? A reputation to start. But what kind? She slumped down and sunk into the feather down comforter feeling her eyes grow heavy. That would be an answer for tomorrow. She yawned and curled up without so much as unpacking and quickly fell into a deep sleep.