Page 3 of Barbarian's Treat

So I might be the first one to suggest that it's time for a holiday again. So I'm predictable. So what. Maybe I just like fun.

"Are we doing Christmas again? Or the twelve days thing?" Josie leans forward awkwardly and tries to grab a cup of tea near the fire. Her belly is too big and she has to turn sideways before she can snag it, but her expression is triumphant as she picks it up.

"No, I'm talking a new holiday. One we haven't done before." I rub my hands together. "How do we feel about Halloween?"

Josie's eyes immediately light up. "Oh, I love that we're going to do Halloween! I never really got to have a good costume when I was a kid. And some of my foster parents didn't let me trick or treat. I'd love to have my babies experience a really good Halloween."

Asha looks between us, puzzled. "What is this day? I have not heard stories of it before."

"Have we not talked about Halloween?" I'm encouraged by Josie's excited response. I sit down on the floor between the twoof them and try to give Asha the same nutshell response I gave to my mate. "It's a holiday with a theme of ghosts and goblins and spooky things. I know your people really don't believe in that, but we can skip that part or explain it away. We don't want to scare the kids. That's not really the point of the holiday anyhow. There are games, like cake walks or bobbing for apples, and all the children dress up in costumes. They go from house to house and say ‘trick or treat’ and you come to the door and give them goodies."

Asha's mouth curls into a frown. "They come to your house and demand that you reward them?"

"No, you say 'trick or treat.' That's the custom. And back home we gave them candy, but we can give them whittled toys or maybe a tasty treat. Just something that feels special."

She eyes the bead in her hands, then gets back to work drilling the hole with her awl. "But it is always a treat, never a trick? If so, then why demand a trick?"

"Tradition. It's all in fun. And no one really wants to trick a little kid anyhow."

Josie cups her tea in her hands, a dreamy look on her face. "The children will love it, Asha. Think of Shema and how excited she'll be."

Asha's skeptical expression smooths away and she holds up the bead she's been working on. "My girl does love to wear pretty things."

Erm. "So most of the costumes tend to be of...things. Like a bear or a bird or a superhero or a clown or...oh god, you don't know what any of those things are. Help, Josie." I turn to the other woman. "What were you when you were a kid?"

She winces. "I was a witch. The costume was always cheap. But I bet Shema could be a princess!" Josie turns to Asha. "That's like a chief, but one that dresses up beautifully and wears special clothes."

"You can be the chief?"

"No, you just pretend to be the chief. You dress up like them."

"But...why?"

"Because it's fun?"

"What is fun about it?" She shakes her head again. "It is only fun if you get to boss the males around and demand that they do the cooking."

"My mate already does the cooking," I say, and then I feel like a braggart because am I turning into one of those women that always has to mention her man? God. I wave a hand in the air, dismissing that thought. "But that's beside the point. Okay. Think of it like this. Have you ever had a really special tunic that you worked really hard on? Or a beautiful necklace? And you wore it just to show off and have everyone comment on it? That's what the costume is like for the children."

She makes a noncommittal sound.

"Does Shema ever pretend to be a hunter, or an animal?" Josie asks her. "Joden is constantly pretending to be a snow cat or a dvisti or something so one of the others can pretend to be the hunter and find him."

"Relvi likes to be a quill-beast," I admit. "Because they curl up in their dens and snuggle their babies. So I curl up in bed with her and snuggle her when she wants to play pretend. It's cute."

Asha thinks for a moment, and then a sweet smile curves her face as she looks at us. "Shema loves to be a leather worker, like her father."

"Perfect!"

Asha's skepticism remains. "But a leather worker wears whatever they choose?—"

Josie waves a hand, dismissing that. "No, no, you make her a copy of Hemalo's favorite tunic and give her a tiny skin to carry around with her and a tool. It's all about pretending. I promise she'll love it. The kids will have so much fun. And we will, too!"She's practically bouncing in her seat just thinking about it. "I love this idea, Claire! Is Vektal on board?"

"Um. I thought I'd run it past you guys first. See what you thought before I approached him."

Asha cackles at my response. "Where is your spine?"

"Have you seen the mood he's been in lately?" I make a face. "Maybe I'll tell Ereven to bring it up to him. Everyone loves Ereven."

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