Chapter 7

Part 2

(Catarina)

The festival begins. Everyone is dressed nicely in bright fancy clothes. Arra helps me dress up. She picks a nice long dress for me that is a brighter red than I am used to. It matches Mr. Crepsley's outfit. All of the men are wearing capes. Arra gives me a pair of black sandals with a slight heel and then she sits me down to do my hair. She brings some of it up and places a diamond studded tiara on my head. The rest of my long hair flows freely after she curls it. Then she dusts on a bit of eye shadow and lip gloss against my protests. "You look great Catarina," she beams. I can't believe it when I look in the mirror.

"You look absolutely beautiful!" Kurda tells me. We hug quickly.

"Thank you," I blush and smile.

"It's true," Mr. Crepsley tells me.

"You look very handsome tonight to Mr. C," I reply grinning. "We match."

He grins too. "I noticed."

"You can thank Arra for that. She's the one who dressed me up as if I were some doll."

He chuckles. Arra looks really nice in her long floor length, flowing dress.

I go find Shan who is near Harkat the little person. Harkat is wearing new bright blue robes. "You look nice," I tell him.

"Thank you...Catarina...you look...great."

I smile. He goes to join the others. Shan stares at me in awe. He is wearing thin white clothes today because of his wounds. "You look...amazing Catarina," he says.

I smile and blush. "Thank you Shan." He smiles too. We join the rest of the vampires and the festival begins. Everyone is really happy and really rowdy. Even Mr. C is running and jumping around like a young mad man. Everyone is so happy. I can't help being happy and laughing too. It's incredible. We all crowd into the game room and watch. Shan and I see Mr. C doing some karate moves. He's very good at it. Vanez is having fun wrestling too.

Someone suddenly grabs Shan and challenges him. He goes along with it good heartedly because it is the festival even though he looses. He is handed a glass of beer because he is almost 21 and old enough to drink by human standards. Arra at some point walks over and hands me a glass of wine. It's not so bad.

Someone challenges me to a fight on the bars so I take off my shoes, handing them to Shan and lift up my dress some more so I don't trip. I pin it with a clip and grab a staff. I crouch low and get ready to fight. I end up with only a couple bruises on my arms because I am fast and agile and I have good balance and I get a sneak attack to the vampires knees. He falls off the bars and everyone cheers for me. I jump down, unclip my dress, then put on my shoes. I hug Shan, pecking his cheek quickly before going over where Kurda is. He congratulates me then says "Crazy, isn't it? All these vampires acting like wild children. Think how embarrassing it would be in anyone saw us!"

"It's fun though, isn't it?" Shan laughs. I nod in agreement, still grinning happily.

"Certainly!"

Then Arra challenges him to a fight on the bars. He tries to protest but he can't because it is the festival. She hits him in the knee with her staff and he bends down like he is in pain. She goes to hit him again but suddenly he jumps away and he hits her by surprise. She gets hit in the knees and her legs are knocked out from under her. She hits the floor and everyone is stunned. "You cheated. You faked injury!"

"There is no rule against it."

"There is truth in your words. I apologize for insulting you, Kurda. I spoke in anger. Will you forgive me?"

"I will if you shake my hand."

"I cannot."

"It's okay. I forgive you anyway."

"Thank you," she runs away in shame.

"I feel sorry for her," Kurda tells us. "It must be cruel to be so set in one's ways. Her refusal to shake my hand will haunt her for the rest of her life. In her eyes, and the eyes of those who think like her, she's commited an unpardonable act. It doesn't matter much to me whether she shakes my hand or not, but she'll feel she's disgraced herself."

"Nobody could believe it when you beat her. I thought you weren't supposed to be any good at fighting," Shan says.

He laughs lightly. "I choose not to fight, it doesn't mean I can't!"

"If you fought more often then no one would think you were a weak coward."

"True but their opinion doesn't matter. In your heart is where a man...or woman," he looks at me. "Should judge themselves, not on the bars or in a ring or on a battlefield. If you know in your heart that you're strong and brave, that should be enough. Some vampires kill themselves trying to prove to others how strong they. It's pointless and sad."

"Kurda...I agree with you, you know. I am training with Arra because I chose this life and it is indeed a difficult one. I need to be strong enough to survive. You are very smart and brave Kurda. I admire you," I bow to him, curtsying my skirt.

He smiles and nods. "Thank you Catarina. You are a good standing lady with a good heart. You will do well in this world."

I smile and he leaves.