We drifted through the maze of stalls at an unhurried pace, letting the crowd carry us where it pleased. Every few steps, something new caught my eye. Trinkets carved from polished wood gleamed in the sunlight, their edges smooth from years of handling. Miniature figurines—knights, beasts, ships with billowing sails—stood neatly arranged in rows, each one begging to be picked up and examined. Tiny bells chimed softly whenever someone brushed past, their sound light and cheerful, like laughter made of metal.
I stopped short at a stall lined with colorful glass spheres, each one swirling with trapped color. Reds melted into blues, greens folded into gold. I picked one up carefully, turning it in my palm as it caught the light and scattered rainbows across the cobblestones.
"Arthur," Katherine said gently, "you're going to drop it."
"I won't," I replied, transfixed. "Look—doesn't it feel like there's something inside?"
She leaned closer despite herself, her hands clasped behind her back. "It's just glass," she said, though her voice softened. "Pretty glass."
Roland snorted. "If it explodes, I'm not explaining it to the merchant."
I reluctantly set the sphere back down, grinning. "One day, I'm taking one of these with me. Somewhere far away."
Katherine turned aside, pretending to study a rack of ribbons. Roland only shook his head, but he stayed close, making sure neither of us wandered too far into trouble.
Street performers filled the square with motion and noise. Jugglers sent pins spinning into the air, never missing a beat, while acrobats leapt and twisted high above the crowd. Musicians played quick, lively tunes that made it impossible to stand still. I found myself bouncing on my heels, trying to follow the rhythm.
"I can do that," I declared, already stuffing the last of my pastry into my mouth.
Before either of them could stop me, I tossed what I thought was an empty tart shell into the air. It slipped from my fingers, arced poorly—and landed with a wet plop near a performer's boots.
There was a beat of silence.
Katherine clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. Roland winced. "Arthur…"
The juggler stared at the mess, then at me. "Careful, lad," he said, not unkindly. "Food costs coin."
"I—I'm sorry!" I blurted, cheeks burning.
Before things could get worse, Katherine tugged at my sleeve. "Run."
We didn't need to be told twice.
We darted into the crowd, laughter bubbling out of us as we wove between legs and carts. I glanced back just in time to see Roland stopping short, raising his hands.
"I'll take care of it," he said, already reaching into his satchel.
By the time Katherine and I slowed near another stall, gasping for breath, Roland was nowhere in sight.
"He didn't have to do that," I said.
Katherine smiled, still trying not to laugh. "He always does."
Sure enough, Roland rejoined us a few minutes later, wearing the long-suffering look of someone who had just endured a lecture. "You owe me," he said flatly.
I grinned. "Worth it."
We spent the rest of the morning trying our luck at the festival games. I managed to ring the bell on the hammer-pull once, nearly shouting in triumph. Katherine surprised us both with a near-perfect throw at the target stand, then quickly looked away when I cheered too loudly. Roland's arrows flew wide, one after another, and we teased him mercilessly until he finally laughed and threatened to aim at us instead.
Eventually, hunger slowed us down. We returned to the fountain and settled in the shade, unwrapping pastries and sandwiches gathered along the way. I leaned back against the stone, letting the warmth of the sun sink into my bones.
"I wish Grandpa could see this," I said quietly.
Katherine glanced at me. "You talk about him a lot," she said. "Hasn't it been months since he came back?"
"Aye," Roland added. "Every trip to the mainland takes ages I've heard, but wasn't he only going fishing this time, the deep sea carp is worth quite the pretty penny nowadays"
I nodded, thinking of the stories—of endless waves, distant shores, and journeys taken only once every few years. "He's seen so much," I said. "The outer seas… places most people only hear about. I want to see them too."
"He said he would be back in time for the festival and bring along his best catches…" Arthur groaned head tilted downwards."
Katherine smiled, softer now. "Then we'll hold you both to it. One day—Arthur the would-be adventurer and his merry band of fishermen," she boasted playfully.