The Hall of the Vigilant was decorated with lovely, colourful candles along the stairs and decorative wreaths of Snowberry branches hung on the front door and along the walls within.

Tossing and turning for most of the night, Cura woke up first chance she could. She was eight years old and full of life and excitement. But why wouldn't she be?

It was Saturalia!

The wee hours of the morning of the 25th of Evening Star.

Saturalia was at first a Breton celebration that heralded the New Life Festival in Morning Star, and originally began as a festival day to the god of drunkenness and debauchery, Sanguine. After the cultural reform, however, it became a time of gift giving, parties, and parading; and a general celebration of hope, beauty, life, family, and happiness. Many people would buy Reindeer and decorate themselves and the animal in colourful robes of blue, white, and red.

Keeper Carcette and Vigilant Celann were the ones who brought the idea into the fold, especially when Cura entered the picture. The local Nord Vigilants rather liked the idea as well, a day of celebration. Tolan and Adalvald were Vigilants, but they were also Nords at the end of the day. Any excuse for celebration was welcome in their book.

She wondered if the others had brought her presents. The excitement in wondering what she would get nearly bowled her over. She couldn't wait anymore!

Throwing off her blanket she climbed down to the floor slowly. She quickly stuffed her mattress with the extra pillows from her closet and placed the blanket over them to make it look like her sleeping form underneath.

When she was sure it would be convincing she crept down the hallway adjacent to her cell and kept a low profile.

The strategy room was empty. Everyone was either asleep or upstairs. She had to maneuver quietly so as to not attract attention.

Cura walked barefoot on her toes up the cold stairs, step by step, balancing using the wall to maintain her silent movements.

When she reached the top behind the Shrine, she could see that the hearth was put out and everyone was asleep. Isran, Celann, Tolan, Adalvald and Carcette were all in their chambers.

On the shrine table there were a few covered Crostatas, an Apple Pie, an assortment of Sweetrolls and Apple Dumplings- Cura's favourite!

There were twelve of them, so she saw no harm in sneaking one now. After all, they probably had her in mind when they ordered them from the city.

She first swiped a taste of the Snowberry Crostata, taking the red filling from her finger like icing from a bowl. It was sweet. So very sweet. It made her nose curl. She quickly put the glass top covering back on.

She next took a bite from one of the Sweetrolls. A nice honey flavour kissed her lips as the pastry filled her cheeks. It was delightful. She decided to stash the other half of it away for later.

Finally, she grabbed an Apple Dumpling and rode the waves of bliss, sitting on the cold floor.

It was sweet, but nowhere near as sweet as the Crostata was.

When she was satisfied, she looked around some more. She wanted to make sure she wasn't watched. They could always blame this on a Skeever later.

Cura saw a ton of wrapped boxes behind the hearth, piled up against the wall, riding up to the ceiling, it seemed from her small perspective, and excitement grabbed her. She allowed it to swiftly carry her across the main hall, over to the hearth.

The soft pitter-patter of her feet scuffles the carpet and she tripped along the way, hitting the floor.

Fear froze her; there was no way she wasn't busted now. What was so wrong about wanting to celebrate now rather than in six hours from now? Why did the sun and moons have to dictate the time for soft desserts?

She looked around and discerned that under the dining tables wouldn't make for a good hiding place.

The gift pile!

She hurried to the back and leapt around the hearth, and hid behind the big pile. There was a small opening that she seized and managed to slide into the pile itself.

"Did you hear something?" Brother Adalvald asked Tolan as they exited their bunk room.

Other Vigilants who were staying at the Hall were awoken by the commotion and began to leave their rooms to investigate.

Vigilant Tolan had his Warhammer ready for battle, even though he was in his sleeping tunic. "I don't know - but it could be anything! Search the Hall."

Keeper Carcette came out of her chambers when she heard the commotion. "What on Nirn is going on out here? Do you realize what time it is?"

A light snow sprinkle came down from the ceiling windows, glistening under the early morning moonlight.

Isran and Celann exited their quarters to join the rabble, as well. "Gods. You people could wake the dead." Celann remarked as he massaged the soreness out of his stiff neck.

Isran was alert and ready to fight. He knew, above all else, that a bump in the night was not something to be taken lightly. "Stay alert. You never know what lurks in the shadows."

"Can someone check on Cura?" Carcette requested, her voice tinted with suspicion as she began to look around. Whenever anything was amiss in the Hall the culprit would more often than not be found to be the curious little Scamp.

"I'll check up on her." Brother Adalvald volunteered as he was already making his way down the stairs as she'd suggested it.

Cura hid within the pile of gifts and peeked out anxiously through a small opening between the boxes. It was hard to make out everything with the hearth in the way of her perspective and the darkness, but the voices were unmistakable. Judging by the volume, she could tell there was at least half the Hall's distance between them.

She was going to have to spend the next month cleaning the chamber pots, unless she could come up with a good excuse. Her mind darted in many directions to try and come up with one, but none of them seemed to make sense. Sleepwalking doesn't bring someone into a hiding spot under a big pile of gifts. Being behind the hearth due to coldness doesn't justify eating sweets. And what were the odds that they would believe she chased a Skeever upstairs and it ate a Sweetroll, Dumpling and swiped some of the filling from a Crostata?

She was finished when they found her. Stendarr would lead them right to her. Justice was his domain, after all. She just hoped she could convince them to remember that mercy was too.

Carcette looked at the tray of Apple Dumplings and pursed her lips. "Hm. There were twelve last I'd checked..." Then she noticed a missing Sweetroll. Under the faint moonlight she could see what looked like a long smudge on the Snowberry Crostata in the center of the table. She squinted her eyes with suspicion and quickly looked under the Shrine table.

She was certain she knew who did it, and leaned her Warhammer against the table, calm once again. She beckoned to Tolan to come see this.

"That little rat!" Vigilant Tolan exclaimed when he saw the finger line on the Crostata. "Where is she?"

Brother Adalvald came back upstairs. He looked mildly annoyed, but very much amused at the same time. Under the dim moonlight he held up two pillows, one in each hand in front of him. "I found these in her bed, under the covers."

Celann snickered, trying to contain his laughter. "Gotta give her this; the girl is clever."

Isran tried to conceal his smile by turning his face to the side. In the shadows, it was much easier to do so. He never doubted Cura's cleverness; that child was cunning as a fox when she wanted to be. Though, it was clear she hadn't thought this one through. How far did she think she'd escape before they discovered the decoy? How far did she really think she would she run in this temperature running out into the frozen fields in nothing but her pajamas?

Ah, well. Youth. Wisdom comes with time. He would still give her points for trying.

Keeper Carcette scoffed and massaged her forehead. "I'm going to have a little talk with her about this."

Vigilant Tolan growled like a bear as he fixated on the Crostata. "I was lookin' forward to eating that!"

Brother Adalvald placed the pillows on a nearby bench. "She's around, hiding somewhere."

"You can't hide forever, Cura! We know you're near! Come out right this minute or Vigilant Tolan is going to tan your hide good!" Carcette called out a warning.

Cura flinched, but covered her mouth so no peep could escape.

"Why do I always have to be the one who punishes?" Tolan complained.

Isran walked over to the hearth. "It'd do us good to bring light into this place, don't you think?"

He poured some oil over the wood and struck a match. He dropped the match into the pit and it was immediately consumed in fire.

Cura was startled by the sudden immolation and flinched backwards, causing the tall pile of gifts to collapse over her.

With a yelp, her location was disclosed to the searchers.

"Ysmir's beard! What do you think you're doing?!" Tolan exclaimed his surprise.

Carcette rushed around the other Vigilants and the hearth to check on Cura, examining her for any injuries. "What were you thinking, hiding under those boxes? That's so dangerous! You - you could have gotten hurt! Or worse!"

Isran could barely hide his amusement. "Hmph. Stendarr forbid we lose the little ankle-biter to a gift avalanche."

Celann shook his head and sulked beside the Redguard. "Charming as always, Isran."

Vigilant Tolan loomed over Cura and crossed his arms. Before he'd even begun to ask his question he was expecting answers. "Saturalia is a festival for all of us, kiddo. Why'd you go and sneak some of the treats?"

Cura's eyes trailed downwards and she looked to the floor in shame. "I... I wanted to make sure they were good. I'm sorry - I couldn't sleep, and I was just so excited to see the yummy food and presents."

The other Vigilants began to laugh, and one even remarked how she was so cute. Another called her a little miscreant. On large, nobody seemed really offended at her explanation, which brought her some hope and solace.

"Was the food good?" Celann asked, prompting a sharp elbow in the ribs from Tolan.

"The Crostata is way too sweet. But the Dumplings and Sweetrolls are good!" Cura confessed. There was no longer a point in hiding it. They'd already sleuthed it out.

"Well, this just means you won't be getting any later." Carcette assured her sternly, to Cura's disappointment.

"Aw..."

"Don't groan about it. Be happy I'm not making you scrub the chamber pots for this!" the Keeper chastised her with a hint at an added threat should she keep whining about it. "But... I think reorganizing the presents should do." She motioned her face towards the large mess of collapsed boxes strewn about the floor. Graciously, they had avoided falling into the hearth fire.

Cura looked at the overwhelming mess scattered about and her face immediately soured. "This early in the morning?"

"Chamber pots it is, then." the Keeper threatened her.

With a shock of horror, Cura scrambled to the mess and began to try and stack the gifts back in their proper place.

Celann walked over to the treats table and took a bottle of Mead. "We might as well start now, since we're all awake. No use in falling back asleep just to wake in a couple of hours."

Isran agreed. "He is right, you know. Sleep is for the weak. It's Saturalia now, so why not begin the celebrations?"

Cura was angry hearing this. She was being punished for celebrating early, but when the adults did it, it was suddenly fine? They suck.

Keeper Carcette looked at Cura, and then at what the others were doing. She sighed and walked around the hearth and back to Cura as the Vigilants all took plates and began to line up. She tapped Cura on the shoulder to gesture a pause from the reorganization efforts, and with a gentle smile, handed Cura a present box wrapped with a blue ribbon. "Joyous Saturalia, Cura! This is from me, Tolan, Isran and Adalvald."

The little Breton's face perked up when she saw the box. She stopped what she was doing and quickly examined it. It was a long, rectangular box. What could lie within?

With grubby hands she tore the wrapping off like a Saber Cat hunting a Goat. When she pried the lid off, she found what appeared to be an Iron Mace inside. "A MACE!" She gasped and pulled it out. It was awkward and heavy. Sturdy. When she lifted it up, she lost her balance and fell over on her behind.

The others turned to see her reaction with cheerful expression. Isran took a sip of mead. "Soon, your training with Vigilant Tolan and myself is gonna start. Figured you'd need a weapon to train with."

"It's perfect! Thank you so much!" the gleeful little girl squealed happily as she began to twirl the cudgel like an awkward baton before another Vigilant hurried to her side and stopped her.

"Don't spin it like that; you'll pop your wrist out of place." he warned her. "Seen lots of injuries happen like that; and you don't wanna lose your grip and end up tossing it at someone - or Stendarr forbid - hitting yourself in the face with it."

Keeper Carcette agreed. She took the mace from Cura's hands and cautiously set it aside. "Yes - it's Saturalia today. Wait until after New Life Festival before... no. Wait until your next Birthday before you start swinging it around, okay?"

Isran scoffed. "How long are you gonna make the kid wait? Until she's Skald the Elder's age? No. Next week. Your first training session will be next Loredas. With me. In the courtyard. We'll beat that undisciplined softness out of you yet."

Cura was looking forward to proving she wasn't a weakling to Isran. "Okay! Can't wait!" She swiftly ran back downstairs to change into her smaller Novice Robes.

Vigilant Tolan was enjoying the Blueberry Crostata instead. "Think she'll ever grow out of that trouble-prone phase?" He took a wide chomp of it and savoured the sweet sauce.

As Cura fitted her clothes on, her mind was filled with visions of wonder and heroism. Her first mace! When would she get to slay an Atronach? When would she get to fight a Dremora? Or an Ice Wraith? Or a Werewolf? Or a Vampire?

It was all so thrilling! Learning how to fight would be her first step towards being a real Vigilant! Then she could go out there and protect people from those terrible monsters and Daedra-worshippers.

She was surprised that Keeper Carcette allowed them to get her a Mace. She was always trying to keep her away from weapons. She always said they were too dangerous; that they could hurt her. But yet everyone else had them.

Regardless, Cura was hopeful that soon she would be able to go out and explore the world. Who knew what adventures she would have ,and what friends she would make along the way?

Her little heart tingled with excitement at the thought of it and she clenched her fists together, beating the palms together cheerfully with a baited giggle before pulling down her hood and dashing out of her small room and up the stairs to rejoin the party.

After all, it was just the beginning.

Merry Christmas 2023 to all my readers! :D Thanks for your continued support and for reading this far into the story! I appreciate your interest in my work and your willingness to engage with it. It is because of that I am motivated to continue writing and sharing my stories. I hope to keep bringing you more stories that you will enjoy - thanks again for your time and attention. Have a wonderful day and a Happy New Year! :)