I closed my eyes and waited to land on the unforgiving stone floor, but instead it was barely a moment before I wasn't falling anymore. A strong hand had itself wrapped tightly around my ankle in an iron grip. I opened my eyes and looked up. Kol was leaning over the edge holding me with one hand and the other was gripping the sill of one of the windows. His face was pinched by the strain of holding my weight and with the stretch that it must have been to hold me and the sill. I watched as he braced himself and started to pull me upwards. Then my foot started to slip out of my boot. Kol noticed this and froze. His grip on my ankle tightened even more and the inside of my boot chafed my skin, not that I minded. He had probably just saved my life.

Kol took a deep breath and gritted out, "Alright, now I am going to let go of the window and try not to fall down after you. I need to use both hands to get your heavy self back up here."

I craned my neck to see him. "Hey, I am not that heavy!"

My body lurched as he let go of the window, but his other hand quickly grabbed my ankle and he steadied himself. He was leaning back now so he wouldn't fall. His voice was still strained though, "I just saved your life, don't argue with me."

He started to pull me up again, hand over hand this time. Once he got my half of my legs over the ledge, I reached up and he grabbed my hands and pulled me the rest of the way up. He fell back against the wall and I scrambled into the corner as far away from the ledge as I could get. My heart was hammering wildly in my chest and he was breathing heavily. He turned his head to look at me. "Let's not do that again."

I looked warily at the edge where the railing had broken. "I wasn't planning on it."

The fireworks were still going on outside while I tried to calm my fluttering heart. Kol was a thief but he had also saved my life. I did not know what to think of him. I glanced over at where he leaned on the wall. His eyes were closed and he almost looked as if he was asleep then a particularly loud boom made him open his eyes and jump to his feet. I watched from my corner as he ran to the window facing the fireworks. "Get up, you're missing it!" His face was being lit in different colors for each firework that went off.

I wrapped my arms around my legs, I didn't want to stand up and risk falling on my still-shaky legs. "No, I'm fine right here."

He sighed and skipped over to where I sat. He grabbed one of my hands and yanked me to my feet. When I tried to sit back down he wouldn't let me Even though he wasn't fully smiling, the way his mouth curved made it seem like he was. His eyes danced as he pulled me to the window. "You came to Pharyss to see the celebration, well this is it. You shouldn't miss a moment of it."

As I looked at the sky I forgot about how scared I was just a few moments ago. The sky above the castle was grey with the smoke from the previous fireworks and the shapes left by some drifted about in the wind before breaking apart. The golden fireworks glittered in the sky accompanied by silver sparkles that looked like hundreds of stars. Red and orange fireworks flickered like bursts of flames against the black of night. Blue and green sparks fluttered around like butterflies in between the other fireworks. Each new firework was something new and different that took my breath away. Some of the fireworks made complex shapes in the sky. There was a dancing couple, a knight charging forward on a horse, and even a dragon that circled around the other fireworks. The show ended with white and gold fireworks forming the royal crest in the sky with a sound like thunder. Then the sky was dark, but the outline of the crest could still be seen in the smoke. I leaned on the window sill and sighed. It was almost too good to be true. I was in Pharyss, tomorrow I would be attending a royal ball, and who knew what else this city had to offer in the days of celebration that followed.

"Have you seen the lamp posts?" Kol asked suddenly. It broke me out of my reverie.

I stood up and nodded. Christian had taken me there. He told me that once the celebration started they would be lit up every night with many colors. "I haven't seen them lit before."

"Then let's go!" He called over his shoulder as he dashed around to the stairs. I was slower to follow, sticking close to the wall and as far away from where I could fall as possible. Kol stopped at the stairs to watch me. "Hurry up, if you go this slowly it's going to be morning by the time we get there and we'll miss it."

"I never said I would go to the square with you. I just want to get out of the tower now since the fireworks are over." I joined him at the top of the stairs.

I jumped when he snatched my hand up and began rushing down the stairs. Now that the fireworks were over, it was much darker. Kol seemed to be very sure-footed as he raced down the stairs, while I was doing my best not to fall. "You have to see the lights. It's really not very far away. You'll be glad you did when we get there."

Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, he dropped my hand and went out the door. I suppose he just expected me to follow him. I had just gone out to see the fireworks. I wanted to return to the Gilded Leopard so I could get plenty of sleep before the ball and look my best. Besides, I was secretly hoping that it would be Christian who took me to see the lamp posts. "I really have to get back." I pointed over my shoulder in the direction of the hotel.

Kol was already a ways down the street. He turned to look at me and tilted his head to one side. "It really isn't that late yet. If you don't go tonight you will miss the party that is going on there right now. There is music and dancing. It's one of the first unofficial events of the celebration. I came from there to see the fireworks from the best spot and now I am going to go back. But if you want to return and sleep the night away and miss out, suit yourself."

Kol shrugged and began jauntily walking down the street. For a moment I was conflicted about whether I should go with him to the party. It did sound like a good time and I wanted to see the lamps at night. Kol was getting farther and farther away. He was whistling now and swatting at banners that hung between the buildings. I shook my head. No, he was still a stranger. Who knew if he was actually telling the truth, but he had saved my life. He didn't seem to mean me any harm, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to wander the town alone at night with him. Making my decision, I turned and walked in the opposite direction as Kol.

I passed a group of people who were heading to the party Kol had told me about. They were laughing and joking and talking about the light posts. For a moment I considered turning around to go and see what was happening in that square. The way people talked about it made it seem exciting. I didn't turn though and continued my journey back the Gilded Leopard.

There were fewer people in the streets than when I had first left the inn. It seemed I was not the only one who wanted to rest for the ball tomorrow night. The upper city was occupied by the wealthiest of Pharyss so it was likely that a large number of them would be in attendance. I passed a few more groups of people who were on the way to the square where the party was to be held. With the Gilded Leopard just down the street, I passed the old couple walking down the street. It was the couple who had met at the other celebration years ago. The woman was leaning on her husband's arm and they were talking about the party. It seemed they were also on their way to the square.

"Do you remember our first day at the lamp post square, my love? I saw you dancing in between the lights with that other man and I wished that it was me that you were smiling so happily at. I have cherished your smiles." The man said.

His wife laid her head against his shoulder and smiled at the memory. "That would have been Graden I was dancing with, if I remember correctly. He was quite the charmer when I first met him. I had known him for a week and I thought he was absolutely perfect." The woman laughed, "He thought the duke's daughter was perfect as well. That was the last night I talked to him. When he left was when I noticed you, dear. You were so awkward standing off to the side watching all the dancers. I don't recall seeing you dance once."

The man gave his wife a kiss on her grey head. "That was because I didn't know how to; I learned so I could dance with you."

"I'm so very glad you did," the woman sighed and the couple continued down the street.

I smiled. Their story was so romantic. I wondered how many other people had similar stories to theirs.

For these past two chapters I have been terrible about replying to my reviews. I finally replied to them all though like a week late.

There's more romantic old couple from awhile ago. They will probably continue to randomly pop up and reminisce about how they fell in love.