Learning about traditions

NOELLE'S POV,

I am still smiling while eating breakfast. Yesterday was such a great day. I never would have thought I would feel so good in the Sea Realm on the day I got chosen.

No one is joining me for breakfast today though and the servants all seem super busy. Maya comes into the dining room, so I decide to ask her what's going on.

''Maya where is everyone so busy with?''

Maya walks towards me and says, ''We are preparing for the Midsummer celebration tomorrow.''

I look at her curious, ''Ow what is that?''

Maya already walks away again, ''I'm sorry Noelle I have so much to do still. You should ask King Roan; I think he is in his study.''

And then she is gone. After breakfast, I go to the study where I see Roan covered over some papers.

''Hej,'' I say.

He looks up and his gaze softens when he sees that it's me. ''Hi, good morning. Can I do something for you?''

''I was just wondering what the midsummer celebration is that everyone is talking about?''

Roan looks at me and says, ''Ow yeah, of course, I just assumed Maya or Julias told you about it already. Every year we celebrate midsummer because it is the lightest day of the year. We have a ceremony where we bless the crops with magic. Afterward, we have a big celebration with music, dancing, and drinking. People from all the villages come to the city to celebrate. Most of them look forward to it all year.''

I go sit on his desk, ''Sounds fun, what happens at the ceremony?''

Roan gets a bit red when he answers, ''Well it's a fact that with sex a lot of magic comes free. Traditionally the King opens the feast by having sex with a virgin by choice in front of everyone. Afterward, everyone will look for a partner and have sex. All the magic that comes free gets blessed and will be used on the land for good crops for the rest of the year.''

I chuckle, ''So you are telling me your holy event is one big orgy? No wonder everyone is excited.''

Roan laughs, ''Yeah, I guess you could call it that.''

I get a bit of a knot in my stomach when I realize that he said that he must open the ceremony.

''So, who are you going to have sex with this year then?'' I ask.

Roan looks unhappy and answers, ''I would want to do it with you but it's not the most romantic setting. It has to happen on the sacrifice altar, and everyone is watching of course. That's maybe not what you want for your first time.''

The thought of that does not make me very happy indeed, ''No I don't think I can do that after the attack from those dark humans it would remind me too much.''

My heart drops a bit when I ask, ''So you are going to have sex with someone else in front of me?''

He takes my hand and says softly, ''I don't want to but the ceremony has to be opened, its tradition. I am sorry Noelle.''

I pull my hand back and grunt, ''I don't know if I want to be there then.''

I feel tears coming up, so I walk out of the door. Roan calls my name, but I don't wait for him to come after me. The rest of the day I don't see Roan anymore. Everyone else is also too busy so I decide to take Eowyn for a ride. That night I go to bed with a stone in my stomach. I hope tomorrow will be better, but I have a hard time seeing how.