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When Fig had invited Ayda Ague fort to celebrate the new year with her, Ayda had been ecstatic. Since she was easily overwhelmed by rowdy crowds, the Gold Gardens holiday celebrations Garthy always invited her to have never quite been her style. But celebrating with the residents of Mordred Manor, that she thought she could handle.
Ayda stood in front of her door, waiting for the clock to strike 7pm exactly, the time she was invited to come over. As soon as it does, she opens the door, and thanks to her fathers magic, it opens right into Mordred Manor. Hearing sounds from the lower floors, Ayda descends the stairs. As she arrives at the first floor, she is spotted by Sandra Lynn, Gilear, Hallariel, Lydia Bark rock and Jawbone who are all talking in the foyer.
“Ayda!” Sandra Lynn exclaims, “Hello! Welcome! How are you?”
Ayda stands awkwardly in the middle of the stairs. “Hello.” She replies. “I am feeling excited but nervous.”
Sandra Lynn blinks at Ayda, but Jawbone steps in to respond. “That is a completely valid way to feel, but there’s no need to be nervous. The party is just starting. I think the kids are in the living room, if you want to join them.”
“Thank you.” Ayda nods at him in response, before taking the last few steps down the stairs and quickly walking through the foyer and kitchen (where there is a large spread of food out) into the living room.
As Ayda walks into the large family living room, she sees a slightly confusing scene. Adaine, Ragh, and Fig are sitting on a couch, . The group of them are throwing small objects at Kristen and Fabian who are waving around a ribbon dancer and a sheet respectively. There is a lot of yelling.
“Please explain what is happening here.” Ayda announces.
As she says that, everyone stops what they are doing and turn to look at Ayda, who they are only now noticing. They stare at her silently for a second before Aelwyn starts cracking up laughing, and soon the others follow suit.
Ayda stands there confused. Everyone is clearly too deep in their laughter to respond to her verbally, so she uses a cantrip to send a message to her best friend, Adaine.
“What in the name of all that is arcane is happening here?” Ayda messages her.
Despite still physically laughing, Adaine messages Ayda back swiftly. “I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin explaining this.”
And then a moment later, Ayda receives a second message from Adaine. “Short version: Kristen and Fabian were trying to catch things we were throwing at them with their pieces of dance related fabric.”
Ayda nods, still a bit unsure of the situation. But soon enough the room regains composure. Fig is the first to speak. “Ayda!” Fig smiles “Come sit next to me!” Ayda does so, sitting between Fig and Adaine.
“I have never been to a New Year's Eve party before.” Ayda says looking between her paramour and best friend “Are there traditional ways I am supposed to act or traditional festivities I am unaware of? Please inform me.”
Fig speaks up first “There’s not really traditional ways to act? Just relax! And have fun. As for traditions, I mean we basically just hang out and watch the TV programs for the ball drop and then do the countdown at midnight and you know, all that stuff.”
Ayda stares at Fig for a moment “You are my paramour, and I love you, but I only understood about half of those words. I am more confused.”
Adaine replies “Yeah, that’s fair. Ok so on the TV, the big crystal on the wall here,” she points across the room, “Some videos will play starting at around 8pm. They will show musicians playing and interviews and such. And then at midnight, they show a big crystalline ball lower, and people kiss and drink champagne.”
Ayda nods in understanding “That makes sense. Thank you.”
“And,” Fabian leans in from across the coffee table “I brought fireworks from my Papa’s stash. Once Riz and Gorgug get here we’re going to set them off.”
Fig's eyes light up, but Ayda is less enthused. “Fireworks are loud and dangerous.” She argues “Can’t we just use prestidigitation or some other illusion to create the effect of fireworks?”
Fabian looks flabbergasted “The danger and sound are the best parts though!”
Ayda shakes her head “Fabian, you truly have a pirate's heart.”
Fabian puts a hand on his chest, looking touched. “Thank you.” He says sincerely.
“That was not a compliment.” Ayda replies dryly.
Just then a voice speaks up from the entrance to the room. Gorgug and Riz stand in the doorway “Hey.” Gorgug says.
A chorus of greetings go up around the room in response, and people shift around to make room for the two boys to sit. As they do, Ayda looks up at the digital clock flashing under the TV. 7:30, the time blinks back at her. It is at that moment that Ayda knows she’s in for a long night.
—
The teens and young adults gather in the backyard of Mordred Manor. Fabian holds a pack of fireworks that he had taken out of a bag on the hangman a few minutes earlier.
“Ok!” Fabian yells, bringing everyone’s attention to him “Since some people here are cowards we are doing this the safe way.” He shoots a glare at Adaine and Ayda from across the yard.
“Prioritizing safety is not the same as cowardice!” Adaine retorts. “Is it so strange to prefer no one loses a finger?”
Fabian rolls his eyes “We have a cleric. It would be fine.”
Kristen adds “Yeah and as someone who has lost a finger, I can tell you it’s fine.”
“Weren’t you dead when that happened?” Gorgug asks.
“Irrelevant.” Kristen replies.
“Anyway!” Fabian interjects, “At the request of Ayda and Adaine, we will be using Mage Hand to light the fireworks. Is everyone ready?” A cheer goes up from the gathered young adults. “Alright then! Let’s do it.”
Fabian carefully sets up the firework on the lawn, and then steps away. Then, already prepared with the mage hand cantrip, he uses it to light a match from a healthy distance away, and a moment later to ignite the firework.
As the fireworks ignite, ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ erupt from the crowd, and Fig approaches Ayda, who is sitting watching from the grass.
“The fireworks remind me of you.” Fig says, sitting next to her girlfriend.
“In what way?” Ayda asks.
Fig smiles and pushes her purple-dyed bangs out of her eyes before replying “Fiery. Explosive. Beautiful.”
Ayda laughs nervously. “Thank you. That is quite poetic.”
“You’re so right. I could make a song out of this.” Fig says excitedly as more fireworks erupt overhead. Fig turns towards Ayda “You’re like, my muse, do you know that?”
Ayda nods “And you are my paramour.”
Just then, the door to Mordred Manor opens up, and Jawbone and Sandra Lynn come outside. “The countdown is about to start!” Jawbone announces. A second later, the sound of the parents and adult guests chanting the countdown starts, coming from inside.
It does not take long for everyone outside to join in. “9! 8! 7! 6!” Ayda looks down at the girl she loves, “5! 4! 3!” Another firework erupts overhead, alighting the sky in reds and golds. “2! 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!” The sentiment rings out from across the property of Mordred Manor.
“Fig?” Ayda says, as cheering echoes across the lawn.
“Yeah?” Fig replies.
“I love you, my paramour.” Ayda says softly.
“I love you too, my muse.” Fig smiles.
Ayda leans in and the two share a soft kiss, and then fig lays her head on Adas shoulder, and the two bring in the new year, with the knowledge there is nowhere else they would rather be.