'So the idea..' Ophilia said smiling at her companions as she hauled the box of pumpkins onto the table, '..Is that we all take a pumpkin, scoop out all of the insides and then we cut out a representation of the thing that we find the most scary on the skin.'
'Scary?' H'aanit asked 'I am not sure that I findeth anything particularly scary.'
'Or that which you fear or even just don't like that much.' Ophilia beamed at her.
'But why?' Tressa asked grumpily, wishing she was somewhere else. Craft hour was definitely not her thing.
'Well, today is the Festival of Light in our Holy Calendar.' Ophilia explained patiently. 'It's the date that marks the beginning of winter in Flamesgrace, so we celebrate the light - to sustain us through the long darkness till spring again.'
'But what's with the pumpkin? I don't get it.' Tressa whined.
'Well firstly, I get to use the insides to make everyone sweet pies as a treat.' Tressa finally looked interested. 'Secondly, once you have carved your fear or the thing you don't like, we put a candle inside the shell, which will stay lit all night. It represents light chasing that bad thing away from you, keeping you safe from it for the year to come.
'It is a very long standing ritual Tressa,' Cyrus added cheerfully. 'We will be taking part in a tradition that stretches back thousands of years. It is believed to have first been performed by...'
'Yeah, thanks Prof. I don't need the lecture. Tressa shut him down quickly.
'Look.' Ophilia ploughed on gamely, 'Here is the one I made earlier so that you could get an idea of what I mean.' She lifted the top pumpkin out of the box, then turned it round so that everyone could view her carving.
There was dead silence for a full minute as they looked.
Therion snorted. Alfyn's jaw dropped and his face went purple. Tressa started to giggle.
'Um...' Primrose said delicately. 'You are afraid of... the ... err... particularly male part of the anatomy?'
'Ist it because of thine religious nature?' H'aanit asked seriously.
'What?' Ophilia turned the pumpkin round to look and make sure she had got the right one from the box. She turned scarlet right to the roots of her hair.
'No!' she shouted, stamping her foot in frustration. 'It's a candle you idiots. I'm scared of the dark!'
'Then what's those round bits at the bottom?' Alfyn asked biting his lip and trying hard not to laugh.
'The saucer, obviously.' Ophilia snapped.
'And those things flying out the top?' Therion had tears on his cheeks.
'Flames..Therion. Those are flames. Well - how would you represent darkness?' she asked huffily.
'Not by carving a co... err thingy...' Tressa giggled.
'Fine. So I'm not particularly good at carving.' Ophilia grumped patting at her flaming face. 'Let's see you all do better.' She challenged.
'Can't do much worse,' Therion said cheerfully coming to collect his pumpkin.
Once the flesh had been extracted from a number of the pumpkins, Ophilia went to the kitchen to fill the pastry cases she had prepared and put them into the oven to bake. When she returned she was heartened to see that everyone was carving. Of a sort at least. Olberic seemed to be stabbing at his pumpkin with his spear. Cyrus had at least four different knives - the ones he used to end his quills - and was working with extreme fastidiousness and concentration. Therion had taken his over to the fire and was working fast and hard, chips of peel flying everywhere.
Ophilia felt a flush of warmth ripple over her. The festival of Light was her favourite time of the year at home. Everyone came together in celebration, with laughter and companionship, staving off the worries of a harsh winter and long unending nights. She was happy to see her friends invested in their task.
Eventually when her pies were ready, Ophilia brought them to the table along with several jugs of warm mead. Once they had polished off the treats, the Cleric declared it was time to light the candles.
She started with her own, trying not to scowl at the sniggers that came from several of her companions as she lit her candle and placed it into her pumpkin.
'May we all be protected from the darkness.' She said quietly as she took her pumpkin over to the hearth and set it down.
'And from the unwanted attention of men...' Therion added with a grin.
Ophilia pointedly ignored him.
'Okay Cyrus. Let's do yours.' Ophilia smiled at the Scholar.
He came to stand next to her and set down his work.
'Oh, that's so pretty!' Ophilia exclaimed at the finely detailed depiction. 'I didn't know you disliked butterflies though.' She added.
'It's a moth dearheart.' Cyrus said seriously. 'I am not afraid of them per 'say but they do so damage books and clothing.'
'Indeed.' Ophilia beamed 'Please protect us from the devastation of moths.' She intoned as Cyrus lit his candle and lay his pumpkin next to hers.
Olberic was blushing when he brought his offering to the table. He had literally stabbed big ragged holes into the carcass.
'I worry that I might take so much damage in a fight that I am no longer able to protect the rest of you.' He mumbled quietly.
Ophilia took his hand. 'Protect Sir Olberic from harm so that he may protect his loved ones.' She said gently as his candle was lit.
'Me next!' Therion grinned walking up with his pumpkin under his arm. 'So you said something scary that you don't like very much and you wanna banish for the next year?' he raised an eyebrow at Ophilia.
'I did.' Ophilia gulped, pretty sure she wasn't going to much like whatever happened next.
Therion set his pumpkin on the table. He had carved an exquisite portrait of Tressa.
'Therion.' Ophilia shook her head sadly.
'What the hell!' Tressa screamed. 'That's so mean you arsehole!' she grabbed the nearest thing to hand, which happened to be left over pumpkin flesh and lobbed a whole fistful at the thief. Therion stepped aside with ease and the whole lot hit Ophilia square in the face.
Therion leapt over the table grabbing Tressa by the neck and pushing her face down into the bowl of remaining pulp. Things suddenly got loud and messy.
'I am so sorry dearest. Our friends seem to lack any understanding of tradition.' Cyrus had rushed over to Ophilia handing her his handkerchief to wipe her face and pulling her into a consoling hug.
Ophilia watched the chaos as more handfuls of leftover pumpkin became ballistic weapons and the air was filled with curses and laughter. She smiled, gave Cyrus a squeeze, then ran into the kitchen. When she came back out she was carrying several large butchers knives.
Everyone fell silent as Ophilia grabbed the biggest of the knives and waved it in the air.
'Okay Ophilia?' Olberic asked warily, wondering if they had finally pushed their sweet-natured Cleric too far.
'Absolutely fine Sir Olberic.' She beamed at him. 'I admit it was rather foolish of me to believe that my dear companions could ever do anything conventionally. Indeed - it would feel odd if you did!' she picked up her pumpkin from the hearth and blew out the candle. 'I find I am in total agreement that we should deal with our fears in our own unique ways.' She raised the cleaver and took a fairly accurate swing at her pumpkin, smashing through it - bursting it in a shower of shards. 'Take THAT darkness...' she yelled fiercely.
'Hail the slayer of darkness!' Alfyn whooped patting Ophilia enthusiastically on the back.
Everyone fell to finding the most inventive and destructive manner they could to destroy their carvings. Except Therion.
'Oh no you don't.' Ophilia chided before he could take a swing at his rendition of Tressa's face.
'Aw you're no fun your Holiness.' He grinned. 'Hey Tressa, catch.' He lobbed his pumpkin at her, but her hands were full with Alfyn's axe. It bumped off her head and smashed to the floor.
Therion looked sorrowfully at Ophilia.
'Oops.' He said.