Arthur and Ellai
The festival might not have been quite like home for Ellai, but it was close enough for her to delight in it. It reminded her of the celebration she had once attended in Polis, all the clans coming together peaceable for trade - and for entertainment, and there was certainly no shortage of that. She had wandered around, drawing near one stall and then another, carrying the small bag of beadwork and jewelry that she had brought to exchange, along with a little money. While she had been in Preya long enough to understand the system, she still preferred to barter when she could. In Everdale, there were usually opportunities to do so.
Signing up for the archery contest had been an impulsive decision, and Ellai wasn't expecting to get very far through the rounds, but again, it reminded her of home, where competitions of strength and skill had been commonplace, even among those who didn't consider themselves warriors. She expected she'd do better than those who had travelled in from the city, at any rate. Ellai had hunted for sustenance back home, sometimes. It wasn't just a pastime to her.
Walking over to check that her bow was safely stored with the others, where she had left it, she caught sight of a young man sitting just inside a tent. There was an oddly familiar look about him, one that made her hesitate, take a second look. Had he been one of those to welcome her to Preya, back when she was too deeply in grief to pay much attention? No, that didn't seem like it...
With a start, she realised who he was, and gave him a slightly nervous smile. 'I didn't expect to see you here, heda,' she said, using the honorific from home unthinkingly, an old habit. 'Do you mean to compete?'