Darius walked alongside the party and soon broke off to find Cedar; he needed to speak with him first before settling down. He wove in between the excited people and down a small path.
Longdale's center bustled with preparation, and the scent of roasted meats and honeyed nuts lingered in the evening air. Fires crackled within iron braziers placed strategically between tables, their orange tongues licking the shadows. Lanterns of dyed parchment hung from wooden poles, swaying gently in the breeze.
Darius spotted Cedar not far from the elder's usual post, leaning against a support beam just outside the storage cottage, conversing with one of the servers. He was dressed in a dark green robe over his usual layers, trimmed with old bronze clasps. The elder's white-streaked beard moved as he chuckled at something said, but his sharp eyes quickly landed on Darius.
"Thought you would be hiding by now," Cedar teased.
