How to Make a Sinner Sleep

13 | wallet; blessings of delicacies

It was almost night by the time they arrived.

The skies had darkened considerably, and the sparkling lights had begun to flicker to life, signaling the beginning of the Fairy Festival.

A jingle of bells, followed by bursts of musical singing that soothed and brought smiles to people's faces. Billowing, colourful fabric down the streets as the carriage rattled.

The only thing more beautiful was the sinister night of the Devil's Moon, when the rounded moon waited high in the skies, covered in shadows as a ring of red surrounded. The sinister evening when monsters came out to play.

For Kaden, it was the night a special guest would visit him, wandering into his room for tea in the blur of a dream that he could barely recall. He wondered, as he did every year, if that mysterious figure would appear again.

For now, he wanted to relish in the beauty before his eyes.

When it came to a stop, Kaden lifted his hood slightly to gaze in wonder at the festive atmosphere. His eyes sparkled excitedly, like that of a child that'd learned a new word.

The powerful aroma of various foods, the sugary touch of sweets—the laughter, the children running down the streets dressed in flowers and sparkles.

Loud explosions sounded in the sky, and Kaden jerked his head up to see the glittering streaks of light, patterns drawn out in the pitch canvas by the fairies.

An illusion of blue whales swam down the streets, and snowy hares hopped in the air as children raced after to chase the lingering sparkles.

"Have you never been to a festival before?" The man beside him asked, jumping out of the carriage to smile brightly at the scene.

Kaden nodded. "Never."

"Really? Most attend it every year, because there's always something new and unique about each one. I can't imagine never seeing any, though I suppose I'm fairly fortunate."

"Is that so? That sounds incredible."

"It is!" exclaimed the man happily, fidgeting with his clothes as he decided to work the courage to ask the other to walk around with him. "And... and there's nothing to worry about either, it's perfectly safe. All the dangerous people stay at home."

Kaden paused, tilting his head sideways, away from the lights. "Dangerous?"

"Yeah, for example, have you heard of the Chauvet's middle child? Kaden—the cruel, sadistic man who takes pleasure in other's pain. You know how he is, all the rumours floating around the halls. It's hard to imagine how Noah Bellamy and Niklas Astor became friends with him."

Kaden stilled, and his gaze darkened though the other didn't notice it. A sharp pain to his chest; the familiar reminder that he could never, ever really fit in.

"Anyway, he's never attended the festival before. I don't know why, but thank goodness he doesn't. Everybody would be too scared to do anything if he did!"

"...is that so?"

"Is something wrong?" The man frowned, turning as a crease appeared between his eyebrows, watching as his mysterious companion lowered their head, completely covering their face. It was genuine worry for a stranger. 

A stranger, unproblematic and with an opinion that could only be based by what the man saw, and not what he heard. 

The area was slightly secluded, hidden away from the direct view of the happy crowd. Kaden hooked a finger underneath the top of his wig, standing so that nobody could see him but the man in front of him.