Who knew that there were holidays in the Otherworld?
Well, I sure hadn’t known about any holidays, mainly because I had grown up in a place where one day was as banal as all the others. This was largely due to the fact that, once we Elementals had lost the Magic Wars, the new government had banned Every. Single. Holiday. Even the bank holidays! Although we did have one mandatory day off, each and every month—Tax Day. What did we do, you ask? Well, we hauled on down to our local government kiosk and paid our taxes.
I know. Hogmanay, it was not.
Since I was still pretty young when the wars ended, I hardly remembered those special days devoted to large meals and recreational activities; the government was constantly reminding us that a good work ethic would do more for our health and happiness than any sort of observances, religious or otherwise, and that a hard day’s labor was better than any day spent lolling about. So we worked and worked and worked until minor events like Happy Hour at The Room seemed like Christmas morning.
Therefore, Micah could hardly understand my elation when he informed me that he and I would be hosting the Whispering Dell’s Beltane celebration, right here at the manor. What’s more, we were going to play the parts of the May King and Queen.
“A real holiday?” I’d asked for the hundredth—maybe thousandth—time. “With cakes, and presents, and things?”
“There will be cakes, yes,” Micah answered, again. So far, my incessant questions hadn’t worn the bemused smile off his lips. “And those attending will bring offerings. As for these other things you desire…”
Instead of continuing, Micah grabbed me about the waist and pulled me against him. We were hiding out in the kitchens, seated on the bench beside the vast oven where the silverkin baked their breads and pies. If I could have spent every day surrounded by the aroma of baking desserts and wrapped in Micah’s arms, it would have been my version of heaven.
“Micah.” I swatted his shoulder, not that I wanted him to stop. Not that he had any intention of stopping, anyway. “By things I didn’t mean this.”
“Oh?” he murmured, while his lips caressed my neck. “I wonder if you truly understand the meaning of Beltane.”
After a bit more, um, education, we managed to get the manor outfitted for a Beltane celebration. Long tables had been erected in the field that stretched between the Clear Pool and the Great Wood, and a massive pile of wood, which would be the first of many bonfires, was neatly stacked in the center. Garlands of flowers decorated the tables and surrounding trees, along with swags of ribbon and streamers. Platters of oatcakes and jugs of sweet May wine filled every available flat surface. Besides all the decorations and a truly enormous amount of food, there would be dancing and games and, perhaps most importantly, Micah and me dressed up as the May King and Queen.
I’d had a hard time explaining to Micah why dressing up in a costume was way more fun than wearing dresses on a regular basis. It wasn’t his fault; since he was a boy, he saw a dress as a dress, no matter what day it was worn. Except for the time he’d worn a skirt, but he still didn’t want to talk about that.
In the end, he just shook his head and pulled on his own costume. It consisted of buff-colored trousers topped by a white linen tunic, which was heavily edged with embroidered silver flowers. Over the tunic was a forest-green vest decorated with leaves just a shade or two lighter, cinched with a brown belt.
My costume wasn’t as heavily decorated as Micah’s, but it was still beautiful. It was a sleeveless white dress made up of many gauzy layers that floated and shimmered whenever I moved. The back was low, so low that a good portion of my mark was exposed, a first for me. Since I’d wanted to incorporate my metal in some way, now that I knew that that was what Metal Elementals did, swirling copper bands decorated my upper arms and ankles. Based on Micah’s expression, my first attempt had been a success.
The celebration began around noon, but Micah and I waited to make our grand entrance until shortly after the food had been laid out. As we stepped onto the field, a hush rolled across the gathering, as the people of the Whispering Dell took in the sight of us, the May King and Queen.
Wow. That’s a lot of people. I looked down and distracted myself by wiggling my toes in the cool grass. I grabbed Micah’s hand and murmured how glad I was that we had both chosen to go barefoot.
“Micah. Sara.”
I looked up and saw my mother standing before us, bearing a silver tray with two flower crowns upon it, along with two wineglasses. “For the May King and his Queen,” she intoned, her voice rolling across the field. As Micah and I solemnly crowned each other, a dull roar replaced the respectful hush, with those around us claiming that the Seelie Queen offering the May King and Queen their wine was most auspicious, indeed.