Merry Day Decor

“Thank you.” Reeve murmured to the member of the Watcher’s Guild who took the final armful of wood from him. With the chill of winter fast approaching, he was being kept busy providing for those who liked to bundle up next to fireplaces both in and outside of the city. 

Hence today’s visit to the ‘home base’ of the Watcher’s Guild; they’d ordered an entire wagon of firewood. Being Rooted herself, Yue was always kind to Reeve despite his appearance, and made sure her followers extended the same respect. 

As he waited for somebody to bring his payment, Reeve overheard a conversation between Yue and the guest she had been busy with when he’d arrived. 

“Oh! I almost forgot - “ The blonde cossetling rifled through her bag and pulled out a letter. Reeve recognized her as Cosette, the one often found loitering at the train stop and selling souvenirs from all over Latorre. She held the letter out to Yue, who took it with an elegantly arched eyebrow. “It’s an invitation to my Merryday celebration!” 

“An invitation? Cosette, darling, I always took you for somebody whose Merryday was open for everybody.” 

“Well, it is, but -” Cosette rubbed the back of her neck, looking embarrassed. “You’re my friend! So I wanted to give you a special invitation, that’s all…” 

Yue laughed softly and thanked Cosette as she escorted the other girl out of the Watcher’s Guild. Only then did she seem to notice Reeve waiting. 

“What can I help you with?” 

“Just waiting for my goldleaves.” Reeve gestured vaguely in the direction the other cossetling had gone. “What do you mean when you say a Merryday is ‘open’?” 

“Exactly that.” Yue came closer and showed Reeve the clearly handwritten invitation. “Cosette’s family hosts a big party for her Merryday celebration every year. Not everybody lets just anyone walk into their parties, but Cosette loves meeting new cossetlings, and this way she doesn’t even have to travel to find them.” Yue handed Reeve the invitation. “Here. Maybe you show up and I actually get to see you smile for once, hmm?” 

“Invitations don’t often extend to me.” But Reeve slipped the letter into his pocket regardless. Then his payment came, and he turned and left with only a short goodbye to Yue. 

~~~

“I’m home.” Reeve hung up his cloak near the front door of the cabin, glancing over as he heard his Herald’s pawsteps approaching. Twila rubbed the furred half of her face against his calf, making a soft barking sound in greeting. An almost-smile drifted across Reeve’s face as he looked down at her affectionately. “Did you have a good day?” 

Twila snorted and flicked her tail, then tilted her head and eyed the pocket where Reeve had tucked the letter. She stood up on her hind legs, steadying herself against Reeve’s thigh as she sniffed at the pocket, clearly catching Yue’s scent and wondering what her cossetling had brought home with him. 

“It’s nothing fun, look.” Reeve went into the kitchen, plopping down on a chair and pulling the letter out of his pocket. Twila lept up onto the table and seemed to look over his shoulder as he read, taking care not to entangle her antlers in the vines hanging down from his own. 

          ‘Dear Yue, 

          I’m writing you this letter to formally invite you to my Merryday celebration! Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., and             my mom is going all out this year! 

         I think you probably remember my address, but just in case, here it is!’

Reeve glanced over the written address. It really wasn’t that far from where his cabin was; he could even stay on the outskirts of town for the majority of the trip. Then he rolled his eyes as he realized he’d been genuinely considering it. “A free-for-all party is the last way I want to spend my evening.” 

Twila hummed softly at his grumbling, and the two stared at each other for a moment… and another… and then Reeve was sighing heavily and getting up, grabbing his cloak, and heading outside. 

~~~

“There.” Reeve leaned back, stretching his back and shoulders then holding up what he’d been hunched over for the last two hours. It was a small wooden lamba, about hand-sized with a large, friendly smile on its face. It wasn’t good, per say; definitely not something he would ever have the audacity to try and sell. But as a present… 

~~~

Reeve stared at the partially set up party, tables and decorations scattered around the lawn. He was at the border between town and forest, cautiously staying near the trees even though there didn’t seem to be any cossetlings outside at the moment. He was holding the tiny lamba he’d whittled earlier that day; it had a little green ribbon around its neck now, and he’d painted on eyes, but it was still clearly a last minute rush job. 

“... This is stupid.” 

Twila huffed and rolled her eye, jumping up to snatch the statue and trotting into the yard before Reeve could react beyond a hissed ‘Twila!’ 

And of course, that was the moment that Cosette came out of the house, carrying a vase of bright pink flowers. “Oh, hello there!” Cosette greeted Twila with a smile and knelt down beside her after placing the flowers on one of the tables. “You must be somebody’s Herald, aren’t you? Are you alone?” 

Reeve inhaled sharply and stepped back - wincing at the loud crack made by the stick that broke under his hoof. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you!” Cosette looked up and squinted in Reeve’s direction.

…

“It’s okay! There’s no one else here!” Cosette called again. 

…

A long sigh, then Reeve came forward, earning an encouraging yip from Twila. 

Cosette stood up fully and smiled widely up at him after only a moment of hesitation. “Hello! I don’t think I’ve seen you before. 

“I don’t come into town often.” 

“Oh? What brings you in now?” 

Reeve gestured down to Twila, drawing Cosette’s attention back to the vulorro. Or more specifically, the little wooden lamba sitting at her paws. Twila picked it up and dropped it into Cosette’s hand. 

“... Where did you get this???”

“... I made it.” 

Cosette gasped, looking up at him with amazement, mouth agape. “You made this? It’s beautiful!” 

“It… Yue only told me about your Merryday celebration a few hours ago, so it’s a bit rough, but I’m glad you like it.” 

“Like it? I love it!” Cosette carefully set the lamba statuette on the table beside the vase of flowers she’d brought with her out of the house. “My mother makes lamba cookies every year, so he’ll fit in perfectly!” She smiled at the carving, her ears twitching, then gasped again. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even ask your name! I’m Cosette.” 

“My name is Reeve, and this is Twila.” 

“It’s lovely to meet you both!” And Cosette sounded like she meant it. “So Yue invited you to my Merryday celebration, right? She probably won’t be here for at least another hour, but -”

“I won’t be attending.” Reeve winced at Cosette’s hurt look. “I, uh. Don’t do well with crowds. That’s all.” 

“Oh, well… Would you like to stay for a little while longer, at least? You could try one of my mum’s cookies!” Cosette looked up at him with glittering eyes, a pleading look that Twila quickly copied. 

Another long sigh, this one begrudging but accepting his fate. “Okay, Cosette. I can have a cookie.” He followed after the smaller cossetling as she led him and his Herald towards the house, a spring in her step and clear joy in her voice as she began listing out all the snacks that ‘should be ready for you to try right now, and what would you like to drink? My mum puts mint in her lemonade, it adds a bit of -’

Reeve thought that maybe he wouldn’t mind staying a little longer than just the time it took to eat a single cookie…