[SWE] The Festival of Lights

Her lanterns were nothing to look at compared to the magically wrought creations by the Abandoned and actual craftspeople; two of them (excessive, but sentimentality pours out of her during the Festival), one for her mother, and one for her sister. Both dead for a good number of years. Both were made from bone - the larger one entirely from small antlers tied together tanned leather, and various stolen items: a candle, some deep red cloth stretched around the sides, and a bundle of white mismatched feathers hanging from the bottom. This one is for her mother. The smaller one is fashioned from a large bird’s skeleton; the base is the breastbone, the top the skull, wing bones arcing around to form a loose cage - also lit by a stolen candle. Woven sweetgrass and dried wildflowers link rocks of every hue - perfectly round holes bored into them by sheer strength and determination. Her stakes are close together, the small lights flickering in the darkness - they won’t win prettiest lantern (she is no artist), so she has no hope of seeing them… but that never stops Wessex from trying. Every year something new, just in case they're watching. While the others turn from their lanterns to remembering the dead in laughter and gaiety, the hard-edged woman remains aloof for a bit. She knows she is welcome on this Night, for all are, but it doesn’t make it any easier for her to join in. For once, the Outlanders are far from her mind. When she's gone, will anyone light a lantern for her? WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm