Challenge #04453-L069: Celebrate Life

Festivals in the part of the city where the Unwelcome welcome all -- Anon Guest

There's places like this in every city. Usually, it's a tightly packed alley or two that has denizens rather than residents. You can feel every eye watching you warily, and there's a pervading miasma of suspicion and fear.

In a city as big and old as Deepwater, it's an entire district. Minor Perdition was the Hellkin Ghetto, and a place where the Unwelcome, Unwanted, and largely unwashed tended to collect. Most of the time, the entire area lies under a cloud of understandable paranoia. The Unwelcome People are generally assumed to be criminals, so any Welcome Folk are suspicious at best and threats at worst.

Except for Midwinterfeast.

This is the knock-out, blow-out celebration of food and song. There's music, dancing, and laughter. There's treats for anyone and for once, there's no threat from the Welcome. Nobody parties harder than a group of people glad that they survived another year.

What astonishes most who find themselves in Minor Perdition is the astonishing lack of alcohol. There's soft drinks, juice, or flavoured water. They've learned that too much booze can gain the wrong attention, so they leave the booze for when they need relief.

Midwinterfeast only happens once a year, and these people don't want to miss a minute of it.

It's the only time of year that they can enjoy, because the whole world is busy enjoying the day, too.

The braziers burn bright, and some can make the flames burn different colours. The food is hot and simple, but welcome. The songs only get bawdy after the children are sound asleep.

And if the spirit of generosity is strong, a member of the watch might share their cup'o'joy with whoever might wish them a merry night.

Alas, for most of history, the day following is eerily silent. Most stay inside as a bare few sweep up any mess left from the night before. The Watch that shared a cup with a Hellkin might glare suspiciously at the same Hellkin sweeping the street. That Hellkin would warily watch as the Watch passes, trying to look as innocent as a devilborn can.

Then came the reign of the Thrice-Sworn King.

Within half a decade, the Unwelcome were less so. There were laws regarding true evidence that eased a lot of pressure on the Unwelcome. There were standards of living that everyone was entitled to. There were pensions for those who could not find work. There were schools for anyone who wished to learn.

There were now two celebrations in the Hellkin Ghettos.

The Thrice-Sworn King might not celebrate his birthday, but the Unwelcome People certainly did.

[Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash]

If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends! Or visit my hub site to see what else I'm up to.

Send me a prompt [14 remaining prompts!]

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Check out the other stuff I'm selling