04-19-2025, 06:36 PM
Evening was when the carnival truly came alive, but from the sequestered caravans its revels were muffled and distant. Lalitha rarely performed for it now; it was home in name and blood, but little of her spirit remained. Since the Anchor her life had become a thing completely out of phase with her family and roots. Here, she was a pariah cast out by Renáta Vas’s ill fortune, severed not only from Dominik, but from any kind of future. Tradition was too important to cast aside, after all. But neither did she find any true place of her own in the city they had settled in. Just today she’d been moved forcibly on from busking on Old Arbat, too Roma for polite society – because she refused to buy a licence for a bit of ground, like such a thing could truly be owned.
Outcast from two worlds, and still she couldn't leave this one.
“Stop thinking about it, Litha.”
Ceija glanced up from the buzzing needle. They sat on the Vero steps, her cousin bowed over her arm as she added to the disparate story of tiny tattoos growing there.
But it was hard not to dwell. Roza and Esper’s grand exit had been abuzz amongst the tents the last few days. The carnival did not cater for privacy, and the most prevalent rumour suggested Renáta had finally caught them naked together. Plenty of people had heard the yelling at least, and the girls were definitely gone. Hardly surprising, given how close they’d always been. The crueler parts of Litha were immensely glad for the Vas’s public shame – that Renáta lost a true daughter, when she could not accept a Vero one once. The softer parts were simply glad to see them free. Who needed that kind of judgement.
“Has he said anything?” She knew she shouldn’t ask, but he and Ceija were friends – still, despite everything. She’d caught glimpse of Dominik a few times since, but what was she supposed to say? Congratulations to your sister who had the balls to do what you didn’t? She couldn’t stem the bitterness, but nor could she ignore the yearning. He would have confided in her once.
Outcast from two worlds, and still she couldn't leave this one.
“Stop thinking about it, Litha.”
Ceija glanced up from the buzzing needle. They sat on the Vero steps, her cousin bowed over her arm as she added to the disparate story of tiny tattoos growing there.
But it was hard not to dwell. Roza and Esper’s grand exit had been abuzz amongst the tents the last few days. The carnival did not cater for privacy, and the most prevalent rumour suggested Renáta had finally caught them naked together. Plenty of people had heard the yelling at least, and the girls were definitely gone. Hardly surprising, given how close they’d always been. The crueler parts of Litha were immensely glad for the Vas’s public shame – that Renáta lost a true daughter, when she could not accept a Vero one once. The softer parts were simply glad to see them free. Who needed that kind of judgement.
“Has he said anything?” She knew she shouldn’t ask, but he and Ceija were friends – still, despite everything. She’d caught glimpse of Dominik a few times since, but what was she supposed to say? Congratulations to your sister who had the balls to do what you didn’t? She couldn’t stem the bitterness, but nor could she ignore the yearning. He would have confided in her once.
![[Image: Mat-and-Lal-baner-scaled.jpg]](https://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Mat-and-Lal-baner-scaled.jpg)