Chapter Text
Frankly, Jamie hasn't the first clue what the fuck is going on.
They get the distinct impression that Shadowheart doesn't, either. That helps.
"Okay, explain this to me again?" they say, kicking an errant stone from their path. "We're walking through the city of crime and chaos after dark to go look at the moon because…?"
Shadowheart looks over her shoulder at them. Two steps ahead, as usual.
"Don't pretend you don't love wandering these streets at night, Jamie. Danger's your middle name."
Jamie laughs and sticks their hands in their pockets. "True. Well, not really. It's Shayne."
"We are observing the Solstice, Jamie Shayne, by attending a holy Selûnite moon ritual. The moon is the most important element. It can't be done during the day."
"Right, the moon. Because… Selûne said so?"
Shadowheart tries to hide her smile, but Jamie catches it. Jamie will always catch it.
They grin back, but rein in the urge to joke about it. Shadow's enjoying her new Very Devout And Stoic Moon Priestess act, and Jamie's not about to take that from her.
"We went over this. The Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year," Shadowheart says, then stops short. She cocks her head, thinks. "Turn here."
Jamie nods and pivots, following her down Portyr Lane. "The longest night. That sounds kinda Sharran, doesn't it?"
"It would be if the point were celebrating the night," she says. "But the point is celebrating the cycle, not the darkness. The days leading up to the longest night are a time to reflect. And after the Solstice itself, each night begins to shorten again. It's rebirth. New beginnings."
Jamie gives her a moment, then, letting the concept linger. A new beginning. Just about everyone they know could use one of those. Shadowheart for sure.
She's gazing up now at the sky, twisting the silver bracelet on her wrist absently. The moon sits low but bright above them.
"This way," Shadowheart says suddenly, taking a harsh left turn onto Stelmane Street. Interesting.
"I mean, I fuck with the moon. They say I'm a moon elf, you know, so I've got moon-blood or something. But I've never done a Solstice. How do Selûnites celebrate it?"
Shadowheart takes a small breath and scans the alley she's just turned into. She steps back, retreats back to Stelmane Street, and speeds up.
"Well, we'll reflect on how we'd like to renew ourselves this year. We'll consider where we've been. Where we'll go. There will be incense, prayer, wine…"
She stops again under a street light and fidgets with a strand of white hair. The sun's finally sunk from the sky, and the lantern casts an eerie shadow.
Jamie can't watch this in good conscience anymore. "Shadow?"
"Yes?"
"Where's this happening, exactly?"
For a moment, Shadowheart says nothing. Then she sighs and faces them.
"The first step of the ritual is… finding your way to the ritual," she says quietly. "The other Selǔnites sent only vague instructions. We're meant to find it by the light of the moon and the pull of the divine."
Jamie covers their grin with a bandaged hand, but she catches it anyway. Shadowheart will always catch it.
"Don't you laugh at me, Jamie Shayne Cross."
Jamie holds their hands up. "I'm not, I'm not! It just makes me feel a little better that I'm not the only one who's never done this properly before. That's all."
Shadowheart bristles slightly, but relaxes after scrutinizing Jamie's expression for a moment.
"I'm serious," they say. "It's nice. Both of our first real Solstice, together. Lost. Late. It's very us."
"I suppose it is. I can hardly imagine more appropriate company to be lost and late with."
"Fuck yeah," Jamie says. "Now c'mon, tell me those 'vague instructions' you got. I'm gonna navigate by the light of these lanterns. Selǔne will understand."